Festival d'Avignon, Croissants & Antiquities :
With 3 bakers in the nearby village, you can enjoy freshly baked bread and croissants for breakfast every morning (including Sundays), sitting on the terrace soaking in the warmth and the stunning view of the Montagnette. OK, someone has to go and get them; you will be back in the time it takes to make a pot of coffee, and going into the village (especially the baker's) is always a pleasure.
A short bus ride away is Avignon (*** maximum star rating in the Michelin Guide) with its famous (half) bridge ('Sur le Pont d'Avignon...'), Papal Palace, festivals, museums, concerts, street cafés and restaurants... Most famously the July Avignon Festival.
Then the rest of Provence, with l'Abbaye de St Michel de Frigolet close by in the Montagnette, St. Rémy de Provence (Wednesday market) just a few kilometres to the south, and Les Alpilles, Glanum and Les Baux. Follow the river south to Arles (Saturday market), or go west to Nîmes, Uzès and the famous Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct.
Beauty, traditions, antiques and the Camargue:
To the east visit Fontaine de Vaucluse, l'Isle sur la Sorgue (antique dealers on Sundays) and Gordes. Or Carpentras with its Friday market. From Greek antiquities, Roman temples and arenas, and medieval fortresses, to lively village fêtes with horse riders, Arlésiennes in their colourful traditional costumes, and bulls with the young braves running after them - or being chased - in the streets, you can be as relaxed or as busy as the mood takes you.
The Mediterranean is about 40 miles away. You can choose the deserted flatlands of the Camargue (wild horses, bulls and pink flamingos), the unspoilt Les Saintes Maries de la Mer, medieval Aigues Mortes, or Le Grau du Roy with its 18 km (11 miles) of sandy beaches.
Or you can keep it local, with horse riding, cycling, walking, practice golf, and ballooning. You can even join in a game of pétanque with the villagers!
Easy to get to :
A leisurely drive through France is the ideal, if you have the time. If not, there is the A7 motorway.
You can fly into Avignon, Nîmes, Marseille or Nice airports. Slip under the Channel on the Eurostar from London and Ashford (non-stop service to Avignon in the summer - less than 6 hours journey time), or skim across the French countryside on the TGV high speed train from Brussels and major French towns (only 2 hrs 40 mins from Paris to Avignon!).
Car hire available at the airports and railway stations. And there's plenty of parking space at the villa.
Other Activities:
Pétanque, gourmet dining, hot air balloon
