Vanessa Paradis says her favourite place is the her house in the South of France

Vanessa Paradis says her favourite place in the world is the house in the South of France she shares with Johnny Depp.

The model-actress-and-singer has travelled the world for her career but insists nowhere is more precious to her than the home she shares with the Hollywood star and their children ' daughter Lily-Rose, 11, and son Jack, eight.

When asked by rocker Patti Smith what her 'special place' is in the new issue of Interview magazine, she said: 'Definitely our house in the South of France. It's in the middle of the trees and the fields. The light is magnificent, the nature is magnificent. It's the most beautiful, most simple life. Even if you go into town - and we go and buy bread or whatever - the people are just so sweet. They don't care what you do. They just care that you have good manners, which is something I care about, too, so it's good.'

Vanessa also revealed her children have changed her mentality and have altered the way in which she approaches her art and her life.

The 37-year-old star added: 'My mind is not completely my own anymore. I used to be able to concentrate and achieve things. Now I find it much harder to focus, because it just seems that half your brain doesn't belong to you anymore.

' can't say a big sentence on what exactly changed in me when I had children. I mean, I don't feel that I do a tremendous effort to try to make this place better for us and for our kids right now. But I make little efforts - and I try to make them every day. That's why if my children ask me about something, I make sure I always take the time to show them and explain things to them so they understand.'