Which village to base in?

[Fletch]

My family, 5 adults and 2 children ( 5&8 at time of travel in 2018) are planning to holiday in Paris and Provence in September 2018.
It's for a "big birthday" and I've found some lovely big villas that I like in different areas of Provence.
I wanted a villa in, or a short walk (1-2km), to a village so that we can visit cafes, restaurants and local shops without getting into the car.
We will rent a car for sightseeing each day so will get to other villages and markets too.
There are so many nice choices I need some help with the different areas.
Saint Remy
Cabrieres d'Avignon
Eygalieres
Saint Saturnin
Bonnieux ( 1 km from village along a touristic trail?)

My husband and I have stayed in Goult for 2 weeks in the past ( loved it) and Isle sur la Sorgue that ended up in suburbia ( nice house but OK). Would be happy back there again, but right in town and can't find anywhere to suit.

I imagine our children will want to do the usual tourist things - markets, nice villages etc. We will have a pool ( heated I hope, just "in case") to keep the grandchildren happy, so may spend afternoons by the pool relaxing.

I know it is a bit vague, but what I think I am asking is - which town/ village would you choose and why.

Many thanks
Jill

 

[Pauline]

We spent two weeks in Goult in 2004 (if I remember right).

All those villages are nice. The only one I don't know is Eygalieres. I would probably choose based on the accommodations.

If I had to pick one, it would be Saint Remy because you haven't stayed in that area and could see different things on your days trips. It is a very pretty town (they all are) and I love the Van Gogh association with it and nearby Roman city of Glanum.

 

[Kathy]

Yes, all the places you've identified as possibilities would be good places to base.

Cabrieres, St. Saturnin and Bonnieux are in the Luberon... as is Goult, where you stayed before. Eygalieres and St. Remy are about an hour west of that area, in the Alpilles. I don't know if you have a preference for one of those areas vs. the other. They're both beautiful but quite different. Some people love to return to an area they know, and others like to explore something different. Also, St. Remy is a busier town (over 10,000 people) and the others are villages of 2,000 or less, if that makes a difference to you. St. Remy has a very big market on Wednesdays.

I agree with Pauline that you should also consider the accommodation and how well it meets your family's needs for this special week. (With children those ages and the appeal of a pool, you may end up spending a little more time at your villa.) And if you really like the idea of walking back and forth to the village to the boulangerie or restaurants, stay as close as you can... and check whether the walk is on a footpath, small country road or the main road.

We live part time in Bonnieux (I'll be there for a few weeks beginning on Friday) and know that village extremely well, as well as St. Saturnin. If you want to share the links for those two properties, I can tell you something about the locations relative to the village. I'd be interested to see what is meant by a "touristic trail."

 

[Fletch]

Thank you Pauline and Kathy.
I find it hard not to return to an area I have enjoyed but on the other hand it is nice to explore new places.
I saw the Facebook post about the south of Bonnieux and it made me think that we will stay within the Luberon.
I visited Goult when we stayed in Isle sur la Sorge and was determined to return and stay there. We loved it.
Bonnieux was another village I felt drawn to and have made quick visits but not stayed there.
Do you think the temperatures would be much different in both areas at the end of September?



It looks like this is out - no children under 10ys. Kathy I thought you might like to see where the house is - down the touristic path.
http://www.onlyprovence.com/villas/promeneurs/

We like this. We have driven through the village I think, but didn't stop.
Are there good local shops?
http://www.onlyprovence.com/villas/saturnin

 

[Kathy]

Hi Fletch and bonsoir from Bonnieux! (I arrived here earlier today.)

The Alpilles and the Luberon are only an hour apart, so the weather won't be very different.... maybe just a degree or two and perhaps a bit stronger Mistral in Les Alpilles because it's closer to the Rhone River. We had warm weather at the end of last September, but it may not be warm enough to spend a lot of time in a pool unless it's heated.

I think that house near Bonnieux is off a walking trail I walk often. I wouldn't want to make that walk every day to the boulangerie.

St. Saturnin is a great village... a bit off the normal tourist route, which is a good thing. My language school is there, so I know it quite well and will be there every day next week actually. There's a nice market on Tuesday mornings, a small alimentation, two really great boulangeries, a butcher, and several restaurants and cafes right in the village. You're not far from the town of Apt (10 minutes), which has everything you could need and a very interesting pedestrian center. If anyone likes hiking, there are wonderful hikes from St. Saturnin, including a really great walk up through the ruins of the medieval chateau. Spectacular views from up there! Your grandchildren would be fine on that hike and would probably love it.

If you're focusing on the Luberon, you might also look at what's available on www.theluberon.com. This isn't an agency... you'd be renting from the homeowner, but the website owner personally visits every property, so they are vetted, and he takes all the photos and does the write-up. (We list our apartment there.) Rates might be better than through an agency, which tends to have a big mark-up.

Kathy

 

[Fletch]

Thank you Kathy. That website is very good and I think we will find somewhere to stay from it.
I have so many bookmarked from all areas I'll have to decide soon!
I'll be meeting both daughters in the next week and we will hopefully decide on our plans.

 

[Chris]

We have this 6-bedroom house in Goult booked for three weeks this May: http://www.theluberon.com/rentals/ls/goult/10/le-murier-de-goult
http://www.theluberon.com/rentals/ls/goult/10/le-murier-de-goult
Since you've stayed in Goult, you can probably guess my reasons for wanting to stay there this trip. On earlier trips, I've stayed in vacation rentals in Lourmarin (3 or 4 times), Menerbes, Bonnieux, Bedoin, Uzes, Saint-Remy. My first love was Lourmarin, which many people don't like because they find the road across the mountains "scary." I wouldn't recommend Lourmarin in mid-summer, but I love it off-season. My second favorite was Uzes, but it's a little out of the way. Third favorite was Bonnieux, then Menerbes, Bedoin and Saint-Remy. I also like St. Saturnin, although I've only stayed in a lovely B&B (Le Mas Perreal) nearby for a few days at a time.

 

[Pauline]

What a lovely house @Chris ! We enjoyed our two weeks in Goult and if my memory is right, you and Frank stayed in the same house the next year.

 

[Chris]

This time your memory isn't right. This will be my first stay in Goult.

 

[jonathan]

That's a spectacular house, Chris! And Goult is definitely one of my favourite Luberon villages.

 

[Fletch]

That house was on our list but youngest child will only be 5.
He has stairs at home so I should enquire.
This is the other one I liked but it isn't right in the village. Not too far to walk though.
http://www.theluberon.com/rentals/ls/goult/12/la-fontaine-de-faucon
Still a long way off - September 2018.

 

[Chris]

The other one you liked is GORGEOUS. We did all our shopping and choosing last fall, and I no longer remember what we looked at, except that we kept returning to the theluberon.com website.

 

[Pauline]

This time your memory isn't right. This will be my first stay in Goult.

You'll love it. I loved the cafe there and we visited it again a few years ago. I used it as my example French cafe on ST.

I think we talked about you renting the house we rented but it had a freaky staircase to the bedroom.

 

[Chris]

I love Cafe de la Poste there and always make a point to have lunch there at least once regardless of where I'm staying. Last time I was there, Patricia and Walter Wells were just a few tables away.

 

[Fletch]

Well I've done it! Decision made and deposit paid for http://www.theluberon.com/rentals/ls/goult/12/la-fontaine-de-faucon.
Very easy to deal with and they answered question about the walk to Goult and steepness.
Now we just have to wait 18 months.
The owner said they hadn't had anyone book that early before!
Jill

 

[Kathy]

Looks like a wonderful choice!!

 

[Pauline]

Looks fabulous! The downside of booking early is the long wait, but I have too often left it to 3 - 6 months before and not been able to find what I want.

 

[Chris]

I'm in favor of booking as early as possible, as you know the trip is reasonably likely to happen and you find a place you like. There have been a couple of times that I've spotted a place I loved and waited too long to book.