Where to Stay - An Introduction

We offer properties in 3 geographic areas of Provence. Vaucluse... Luberon... Bouches-du-Rhône. Each region has more than enough to occupy you during your stay. All 3 areas have many charming villages with a great selection of restaurants and weekly markets to visit. Each region has its own wonderful qualities. Many visitors to Provence arrive in Avignon on the high-speed train, and all 3 regions are only 45 minutes to an hour from Avignon. From one region to the next is about a half hour's drive. You can easily visit all 3 regions no matter where your rental house is as they are within close proximity. However, where you rent usually dictates where you're most likely to spend more time. So, read below about each region, visit our map of Provence, and then choose your favorite spot!


VAUCLUSE (Property codes PR001-PR059)

Landscape

The Vaucluse is north east of Avignon. Many of our properties are in an area, known as the Côtes-du-Rhône, which starts a half hour north of Avignon. It is here that the Dentelles mountain range begins its course through the Vaucluse. The word dentelle means lace, and this small mountain range, part and parcel of the Vaucluse mountain range, does indeed mimic the delicacy of its namesake with a lacey crown of limestone rock.

The Wine Villages

The Côtes-du-Rhône vineyards stretch from the base of these mountains west to the Rhône River. I adore the villages that are closest to the foothills - the setting here is particularly lovely. Beaumes-de-Venise, Sablet, Séguret, Vacqueyras, Cairanne...the source of some of France's most reputable wines! All of these villages are small, charming and fun to explore. Past clients have loved the simple ease of the life here and I'm sure you will too.

Ventoux villages

Immediately to the east of the Dentelles extending north to Vaison is a beautiful valley, famous for its fruit orchards. Farther east, is a vast open plain with Mt. Ventoux, the highest peak in Provence, in the distance. Here again, there are more charming villages, Bedoin, Caromb...perhaps a bit less well known, but that is precisely what makes them a delight to visit.

Towns with Famous Outdoor Markets and Attractions

The northern edge of the Vaucluse is bordered by Vaison-la-Romaine, a wonderful small town. Vaison has historically significant Roman ruins, and both a vibrant contemporary center and a medieval city center located on a hill across the river. The Tuesday market is extremely lively with a vast selection of local foods and products. In the summer, a music festival is held with concerts at a variety of different venues in the old city.

Nearby is Orange which also has an itact roman theater where major performances are held in season. It, too, has a wonderful weekly outdoor market.

The southern edge of this area is bound by Carpentras, home to the oldest synagogue in all of France and a weekly open-air market they claim to be the largest in Provence. The market is a wonderful event that covers almost the entire city center with its colorful stands each week. Streets often specialize by product sold - from olives to produce, ProvenÂal fabric to honey.

Food & Wine

The Vaucluse is an area with an excellent selection of restaurants. Because the wine is so highly prized here, there are many local restaurants offering both simple meals and more elegant gourmet experiences. And there are not only famous wineries to visit, but there are the wine cooperatives from each famous village.

Sports & Recreation

This is a great area for outdoor activity. In the mountains there are marked trails. You can visit the local Tourist Offices for maps or buy hiking guides in bookstores. This is also a great area for biking. There are many tiny roads, and so it is easy to avoid car traffic and is a short ride from village to village. The setting is so beautiful that it each ride is a true pleasure.


LUBERON (Property codes PR70-299)

Landscape

The Luberon Valley runs west to east. It faces the Vaucluse mountain range to the north and the Luberon mountain range to the south. In between these two mountain ranges is a long valley with wonderful views. The Luberon mountain range is also a national park and as such has beautifully preserved natural areas with designated hiking trails.

Many Americans know about the Luberon Valley through Peter Mayle's book A Year in Provence. His story of buying and renovating a country home brought worldwide recognition to this region. It's a region of tiny villages, beautiful countryside with lavender fields, fruit orchards and vineyards, and spectacular vistas. Our rentals in this region are here, in the valley, where there is a winding row of one charming village after the next.

Towns, Villages & their Attractions

As you travel west down the Luberon Valley you will come first across Gordes, a famous perched village with views of the valley floor below. Along the way is Lacoste, which exhibits the ruins of the Marquis de Sade's castle. And eventually there is Roussillon with its famous ochre colored cliffs. Of course, there is a myriad of other towns that dot the way - these are just a few of my favorites. Each village has its own selection of restaurants both simple and elegant and of course a weekly market.

Just west of the valley is Cavaillon, a city famous for its fragrant melons that the locals serve cut in half filled with white wine from their own vineyards. On the eastern side of this valley is Apt, another major market town famous for its fruit conserves. Past Apt, the valley gets narrower and the villages are farther apart. Our listings stop around Apt, so that you are best placed for touring the area.

On the south facing side of the Luberon mountains, are more charming villages to explore. Although this area is not quite as famous, it has its own charms. The hills here are gentler and there are a series of pretty, tiny hill-top villages to explore. Lourmarin, Ansouis, Grambois are just a few of these villages. Some are classified as "Among the Prettiest in France"... some have castles to explore. All provide an experience of going back in time to a simpler era. The Sud Luberon is closer to Aix en Provence, although farther for visiting the two other geographic regions presented here. There is, however, an abundance of villages to visit right in this area.

Food & Markets

The Luberon Valley has a superior selection of restaurants. There are quite a few truly fine establishments, some with superb views and lovely hillside terraces offering fine cuisine. And, of course, there is a very large selection local places offering simpler, although still local and delicious meals. Most of the little villages host outdoor markets on different days of the week. Apt at the eastern end and Cavaillon just outside the Valley to the west have perhaps the biggest. However, each little market has its own charm. Bonnieux, Ménerbes, Coustellet and Gordes are just a few villages whose markets are worth a visit. In the spring and early summer, lavender which grows in large fields is harvested. The sweet fragrance wafts through the air as the flowers are distilled. And it is an area known for its fruit trees. Thus jams, jellies and candies are a specialty as well.

Sports & Recreation

The tiny roads that crisscross the valley offer a wonderful day's bike ride. Hiking is also possible both in the Vaucluse range to the north and the Luberon National Park on the south side. Here, too, the trails are designated and one can get maps and trail guides at the Tourists Offices or bookstores. In addition, the Sorgue River runs through the southern end of the Vaucluse range. I once spent a lazy afternoon with my family drifting by canoe from Fontaine-de-Vaucluse in the hills to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.


BOUCHES-DU-RHONE (Property codes PR300-425)

Landscape

The Bouches-de-Rhône is the mouth of the Rhône River. Gentle rolling hills extend for miles over the countryside fragrant with wild herbs, scrub brush and pine forests. Remnants of Roman aqueducts dot the countryside. This is another breathtakingly beautiful countryside. There is a striking little mountain range called Les Alpilles. It is said the tortuous shapes of its rocks inspired Dante as he wrote The Inferno. Our houses are in and around the villages just to the north and south of this pretty mountain range.

To the south of Les Alpilles the region eventually extends to the sea. As you continue towards the Mediterranean, the land flattens, and you enter the Camargue, a large open marshland that ends at broad sandy beaches. This is another beautiful landscape.

Food, Wine & Markets

One of the most famous restaurants in Provence is located in the Bouches-du-Rhône. The Oustau de BaumaniÒre at the foot of Les Baux. And in many of the little villages all around offer an excellent selection of restaurants to chose from. This area also has some very well known wines. Just below Les Baux are several famous vineyards to visit. And this area is famous for its olives. Cold pressed olive oil is a speciality locally. Here, too, most of the villages have an outdoor market on a designated day of the week. The market at St. Rémy is particularly well-know, however, even the smaller ones like at Fontvieille or Maussane are worth a visit.

Towns, Villages & their Attractions

This is an area filled with truly significant historical sights. St. Rémy has wonderful Roman ruins. Les Baux, a historic village perched at the top of the mountain is one of the most visited sites in France. The ancient Abbaye-de-Montmajour brings to mind a time when monks gathered herbs to prepare their special liqueur - which you can still purchase. A visit to the mill outside Fontvieille where Alphonse Daudet lived while he wrote his famous Lettres de Mon Moulin brings the past back to life. It's a short drive to Arles, a beautiful city with its fully intact Roman amphitheater and its elegant pedestrian-only center. You can walk these streets and follow in the footsteps of Van Gogh, who lived here and captured the countryside with his dramatic imagery and use of color.

The Camargue is known for its wild roaming horses, traditionally dressed cowboys and bullfighting. While in some towns, like Beaucaire, you can see traditional Spanish style bullfights. Many of the villages, however, have arenas for the French variety of bullfights, a gentler sport than its Spanish cousin. Over the course of the fight the chasseur, or bullfighter, attempts to grab a rosette tied between its rival's horns. The bull isn't killed here. Naturally the audience is ablaze with energy. The bullfights take place during the summer months and travel from village to village, fans in tow.

Sports & Recreation

As in the other two regions, each village is just a short drive to the next through the beautiful countryside. Here too, the many tiny roads are excellent for biking, and the Alpilles offer marked hiking trails. Although, due to the dry summer heat, the trails in the Alpilles are closed in summer. This is also the area closest to the broad sandy beaches of the Carmargue, although even here the drive is 45 minutes!

Call or email us. We look forward to helping you plan your trip!