Dave Hilbert's
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| Renting a House In Provence |
The cuisine of Provence has more to do with the
people and the way of life than anything else. The
farmers of Provence work the land and cherish
their traditions; many of the villages hold festivals
throughout the year that include ancient music,
dance, horsemanship, bull fighting and traditional
Provence meals.
people and the way of life than anything else. The
farmers of Provence work the land and cherish
their traditions; many of the villages hold festivals
throughout the year that include ancient music,
dance, horsemanship, bull fighting and traditional
Provence meals.
Apt, once the center of lavender production, is
a town largely overlooked by tourists
because it is listed as an industrial area in
the guidebooks. A pleasant surprise and a
great place to base out of for trips to the
lavender fields and the hiking, biking and
kayaking of Provence, Apt is in a valley
below another village with a great view, but
one even more overlooked by tourists in
spite of its charm, Saignon. These two
villages, east of Avignon, could be a great
place to rent a house or villa for an extended
visit while on a culinary vacation or on a
biking/hiking vacation in Provence.
a town largely overlooked by tourists
because it is listed as an industrial area in
the guidebooks. A pleasant surprise and a
great place to base out of for trips to the
lavender fields and the hiking, biking and
kayaking of Provence, Apt is in a valley
below another village with a great view, but
one even more overlooked by tourists in
spite of its charm, Saignon. These two
villages, east of Avignon, could be a great
place to rent a house or villa for an extended
visit while on a culinary vacation or on a
biking/hiking vacation in Provence.
Although the area around Apt and Saignon has
been largely overlooked by tourists there are
many opportunities in the region for hiking,
biking kayaking, and culinary vacations
been largely overlooked by tourists there are
many opportunities in the region for hiking,
biking kayaking, and culinary vacations
| Renting In Provence House Rental |
Vacation In the
South of France
South of France
Provence was inhabited in Neolithic times and still
has rock tombs of early settlers. Later, nomadic
shepherds built corbel vaulted beehive-like
structures of stone called bories with an estimated
3000 still standing around Gordes and in the
valley below the village of Saignon.
Germanic Celtic tribes and Italian Ligurians
inhabited Provence before the Greek (600 BC)
and later Roman settlers (100 BC) built permanent
dwellings of stone.
From the first century BC to the third century AD,
the Romans built extensively throughout Provence
and many of their structures still stand.
has rock tombs of early settlers. Later, nomadic
shepherds built corbel vaulted beehive-like
structures of stone called bories with an estimated
3000 still standing around Gordes and in the
valley below the village of Saignon.
Germanic Celtic tribes and Italian Ligurians
inhabited Provence before the Greek (600 BC)
and later Roman settlers (100 BC) built permanent
dwellings of stone.
From the first century BC to the third century AD,
the Romans built extensively throughout Provence
and many of their structures still stand.
History
Provence can be a great vacation spot, especially
in May and June, and in September and October,
the months when the European travelers are back
to work and not on their six-week July/August
vacations.
Many of the villages in Provence are storybook
quaint, full of ancient stone buildings with tile roofs
and narrow cobble streets open only to
pedestrians. Lavender fields in rich purple color
the hillsides in June and July and 12Th Century
chapels crown the hilltops in the Medieval walled
villages. Farming of rice in the south and wheat
and lavender in the north along with raising of
sheep and the practice of viticulture and olive
production are the primary industries in largely
rural Provence.
in May and June, and in September and October,
the months when the European travelers are back
to work and not on their six-week July/August
vacations.
Many of the villages in Provence are storybook
quaint, full of ancient stone buildings with tile roofs
and narrow cobble streets open only to
pedestrians. Lavender fields in rich purple color
the hillsides in June and July and 12Th Century
chapels crown the hilltops in the Medieval walled
villages. Farming of rice in the south and wheat
and lavender in the north along with raising of
sheep and the practice of viticulture and olive
production are the primary industries in largely
rural Provence.
Hiking Biking Kayaking
You can rent a place in Provence and easily
settle in for a brief period of living the village life,
shopping for your daily provisions, and cooking
with the locally grown produce. From your
rented house you can make day trips by rental
car to surrounding hill towns of stonewalls and
Medieval castles and you will find hiking, biking,
horseback riding, kayaking, and cliff climbing in
many of the hills and river valleys.
Renting a house with a group of friends, even if
it just for a week or two, is a good and
economical way to enjoy all that Provence has to
offer.
settle in for a brief period of living the village life,
shopping for your daily provisions, and cooking
with the locally grown produce. From your
rented house you can make day trips by rental
car to surrounding hill towns of stonewalls and
Medieval castles and you will find hiking, biking,
horseback riding, kayaking, and cliff climbing in
many of the hills and river valleys.
Renting a house with a group of friends, even if
it just for a week or two, is a good and
economical way to enjoy all that Provence has to
offer.
| Renting a House |
To start your search, ask how many people will be in your group. Rentals can accommodate several families or just
two people. Start your search on the web with the number of people that you will accommodate, the region you would
like to visit, and your target dates.
two people. Start your search on the web with the number of people that you will accommodate, the region you would
like to visit, and your target dates.
How Many People
The regions of Provence are called departments
and include Hautes Alpes, Alpes de Haute
Provence, Alpes Maritimes, Bouches du Rhone,
Var, Vaucluse, and the Drome Provencale.
Start a search with either the region you desire or
the price range you seek. Some villages are more
expensive than others but the area is well served
by good roads so that you can base in one place
and reach many villages and walled cities in an
hours drive.
Provence Rental Houses and Apartments
and include Hautes Alpes, Alpes de Haute
Provence, Alpes Maritimes, Bouches du Rhone,
Var, Vaucluse, and the Drome Provencale.
Start a search with either the region you desire or
the price range you seek. Some villages are more
expensive than others but the area is well served
by good roads so that you can base in one place
and reach many villages and walled cities in an
hours drive.
Provence Rental Houses and Apartments
What Region
Not too far from Apt, English writer Peter Mayle
bought a place and wrote his "A Year In
Provence," and other books that prompted a
herd of Europeans to fan out in the countryside
of the Luberon and Vaucluse looking for
distressed cottages and old farms to buy as
fix-up vacation homes and rentals. These rentals
are now plentiful and even with the slumping
dollar, affordable.
The countryside of Provence offers a wonderful
place for a vacation because it has changed little
in five hundred or so years. You will find No
massive development, no malls, and just a few
high-speed roads.
The one major innovation, the high-speed TVG
train; with top speeds of 180 MPH, puts Avignon
just two and a half hours from Paris.
bought a place and wrote his "A Year In
Provence," and other books that prompted a
herd of Europeans to fan out in the countryside
of the Luberon and Vaucluse looking for
distressed cottages and old farms to buy as
fix-up vacation homes and rentals. These rentals
are now plentiful and even with the slumping
dollar, affordable.
The countryside of Provence offers a wonderful
place for a vacation because it has changed little
in five hundred or so years. You will find No
massive development, no malls, and just a few
high-speed roads.
The one major innovation, the high-speed TVG
train; with top speeds of 180 MPH, puts Avignon
just two and a half hours from Paris.
A Year In Provence
A Villa or Vacation rental
at the foot of a walled city
could accommodate up
to 15 or more and give
good access to
recreation, culture,
shopping
at the foot of a walled city
could accommodate up
to 15 or more and give
good access to
recreation, culture,
shopping
Saignon on the hilltop
overlooking Apt is
postcard perfect and
near enough to the larger
city to offer transportation
overlooking Apt is
postcard perfect and
near enough to the larger
city to offer transportation
A limited menu family run
mom and pop style
restaurant in the Village of
Apt, La Manade on Rue
Rene Cassin should not be
missed
mom and pop style
restaurant in the Village of
Apt, La Manade on Rue
Rene Cassin should not be
missed
Apt
Season: High, Mid, Low
High: July August
Mid: April, May June, September, October,and
School Vacations
Low: November,December, January, February,
March
High: July August
Mid: April, May June, September, October,and
School Vacations
Low: November,December, January, February,
March
Text and Photos David Hilbert
| Hiking and Culinary Vacation in Provence |
| Culinary Vacation |
Where is Provence
The southern region of France from
Montelimar to the Mediterranean, from Nice
to the Saintes Maries de la Mere in the
Rhone River Delta is called Provence. This
region, rich in Roman ruins, Medieval walled
cities, Renaissance art, and famed for its
low-fat rustic cuisine, offers great hiking,
biking Kayaking and could be the venue for a
life-changing cooking experience.
Montelimar to the Mediterranean, from Nice
to the Saintes Maries de la Mere in the
Rhone River Delta is called Provence. This
region, rich in Roman ruins, Medieval walled
cities, Renaissance art, and famed for its
low-fat rustic cuisine, offers great hiking,
biking Kayaking and could be the venue for a
life-changing cooking experience.
Transportation
Transportation will be of crucial importance. Will
you have a rental car? (30-60 USD per day and
plentiful in the major cities and TVG stations) If
not, lodging in one of the larger towns like Apt or
in a hilltop village like Saignon would be a better
option. Both have public transportation.
Provence Rental Cars
PublicTansportation: Local buses make trips
between major cities stopping at towns and
villages along the way.
Transportation will be of crucial importance. Will
you have a rental car? (30-60 USD per day and
plentiful in the major cities and TVG stations) If
not, lodging in one of the larger towns like Apt or
in a hilltop village like Saignon would be a better
option. Both have public transportation.
Provence Rental Cars
PublicTansportation: Local buses make trips
between major cities stopping at towns and
villages along the way.
France Exchange Rates ; prices for rentals
might list in Euros or the British Pound.
might list in Euros or the British Pound.
Renting in Provence can cut your costs and if on your vacation in Provence you do not
have a rental car, bus service extends from Cavallion, to Gordes, Forcalquier, St
Maximin, Barjols, Apt, Marseille, Carpentras, Pernes-les-Fontaines,
Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, and Le Thor
have a rental car, bus service extends from Cavallion, to Gordes, Forcalquier, St
Maximin, Barjols, Apt, Marseille, Carpentras, Pernes-les-Fontaines,
Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, and Le Thor
Copyright Soft Seat Travel
Provence Village of Saignon
The center of Apt