Magical week in the heartland of France
Review Submitted: October 5, 2008
Date of Stay: September 2008
We thoroughly enjoyed a week's stay here in late September. Travelling with my husband our three-year old son and my in-laws, we found the house well suited to an extended family arrangement, with three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs, and a further large double bedroom and bathroom downstairs. The villa's open-plan living/ dining area, eat in country-style kitchen, and covered outdoor eating area allowed us to consume the wonderful local produce in a number of places, weather dependent. As the Mistral did blow, it was cold for a few days, although we did swim in the outdoor pool once, before deciding summer was truly over. While the house is great it’s location makes it truly special. On the outskirts of small hamlet Lagarde-Pareol, with no amenities except a school, church and town hall, there are many bigger villages a few kilometres away in just about every direction. From Serignan du Comtat, with its two good boulangerie/ patiserries, to the larger town of Sainte Cécile-les-Vignes, with its excellent Saturday market, to Rochegude with its small Chateau, and Uchaux with a good, contemporary restaurant (name escapes me but it's alongside the main road), this is a beautiful part of the country where, at this time of year, locals outnumber tourists. And as it was the grape harvest, there were many more tractors than cars too! You’d expect the wine to be good, and it is, in every shade. Plus you can still pick up decent bottle for not very much at local village markets. It is a fantastic location from which to explore the region and beyond. We visited the cities of Avignon and Nimes, both highly recommended, the latter particularly for its Roman Amphitheatre (in better shape than the Coliseum in Rome, and still a working venue). Plus the many villages closer to hand, from the town of Orange (beware driving through here during 'rush' hour, it is surfeit with traffic lights, everyone of them red!), to the gorgeous Vaison La Romaine and Seguret, to Grignon and Suze La Rosse with their palaces, every village has something different and special to offer. It is so easy to get around you can see a lot as you travel through the beautiful countryside without feeling exhausted. The host, David, gives lots of tips to get you going, and was very accommodating from the outset. Caretaker Jacques lives next door and is very helpful, but doesn't speak English. We had a wonderful getaway; so good, we want to return, and possibly never leave. Thank you David.
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