New York Habitat Blog

Luberon, Provence, South of France

The Luberon region of Provence, the subject of much of Peter Mayle’s writings, is the ideal vacation destination to get away from it all.  From the famous winter wind, called ‘Le Mistral’, to the joys of a summer evening spent sipping ‘pastis’ on the terrace, Mayle chronicles his time in the Luberon in the books A Year in Provence, Toujours Provence, and Encore Provence.  (He even incorporates the larger Provence region in his numerous fictional works.)  A wonderful and humorous combination of memoir and travel diary, readers cannot help being charmed by the region themselves.  Luckily, you don’t have to spend a whole year here to appreciate all it has to offer.  And when you do visit, New York Habitat has a variety of furnished vacation rentals from which to choose.

The Luberon region, found in the middle of Provence, is settled among three mountain ranges, and made up of many small and large villages.  Life is lived at a much slower pace here, where days are spent hiking in the hills, or just relaxing outdoors and enjoying the views.  You can spend every day browsing the different outdoor markets, but be sure to reserve Saturday for the largest one in Apt, Provence.

If you’d like to stay near Apt, New York Habitat has a one bedroom vacation rental house in Villars, near Apt (PR 776) for you.  This rustic, stone house is over one hundred years old but has been updated with all the modern amenities in the kitchen and bathroom for your convenience.  With tiled floors and beamed ceilings throughout, this house will transplant you back to a simpler time.  Head on in to Apt, a town that’s been in existence since before the Romans invaded Gaul, to see Roman relics and the church of Saint-Anne, which began construction in the eleventh century but wasn’t completed until the seventeenth.  Or you can spend your days lounging near the pool, adjacent to the house.

South of France Accommodation: One bedroom rental in Villars, Luberon, Provence (PR-776)

If you’d prefer to stay in a larger town in the Luberon, then you’ll want to try Lourmarin, where Peter Mayle himself lives. The town itself is full of historic architecture, dating back to the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.  Famed author Albert Camus once called Lourmarin home and is buried there as well.  This three bedroom villa in Lourmarin, Provence (PR 593) combines luxury and Provincial charm.  Able to accommodate up to eight people, this beautiful house offers large living spaces, a well-equipped kitchen, and three modern bathrooms.  The views from the terrace are phenomenal and there is also a pool on the property.

So, if you’re looking for the perfect place to get away from it all, look no further than the Luberon region of Provence.  Quite villages, small and large, abound but also offer easy access to the larger towns and cities of the area.  And staying in a furnished rental home from New York Habitat will ensure a more authentic, and satisfying, vacation.

If you are interested in reading about other regions in Provence check out these Blogs:

• Top towns in the South of France: #2 Avignon, Provence
• Top Towns to visit in the South of France: #3 Aix-en-Provence
• Top Towns to visit in the South of France: #5 Saint-Rémy-de-Provence

Have you read any of Peter Mayle’s books about the Luberon?  What are your thoughts about the region?  Please share and discuss in our comments.

1. South of France Hidden Gem: 3 Bedroom in Les Baux Provence
2. Exhibition “Picasso Cézanne” at the Musée Granet of Aix en Provence
3. The Lavender Fields of the South of France
4. See an unexpected side of the South of France in the Camargue
5. The 2009 Tour de France

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 27th, 2008 at 1:48 pm in Luberon. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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