Mas Des Collines

The stunning landscape and villages of the Luberon region retain their timeless appeal. The local lavender, cherries, olives, truffles and wines are world-famous for good reason. Nowadays you can also enjoy paintballing or microlight-flying in the area, as well as a gourmet chocolate factory tour or a visit to a lavender distillery in nearby Apt (5km). This region is also one of the best places in France to observe the night-sky, and visitors are welcome at the Saint Michel l'Observatoire, just 30km from the villa.

The villa is located in a private domain of 13 hectares in a hamlet just over 2km / 5 minutes drive from the charming hilltop village of Saignon, where you will find a boulangerie, some shops, an art gallery and café.  You can wander around the narrow streets of the pretty village, discovering ancient fountains, lovely squares and beautiful old houses as well as the 12th century church. Keen walkers can climb up to the top of Saignon Do, the rock that dominates the valley, for amazing views of the Luberon region.

The larger town of Apt (5km) has an incredible Provençal market on a Saturday morning, one of the most famous in the region and well known. It’s a typical Provençal town which is very proud of its local products, especially its candied fruits and at the market you should try some of the delicious local goats cheese. The old town has a lot of charm and character and the surrounding hills are typical of beautiful Provence.

Here you are also within close driving distance of the archetypal Provencal villages of Bonnieux (20km), Lacoste (20km), Menerbes (27km), Roussillon (17km) and Van Gogh’s beloved Gordes (25km), one of France’s Plus Beau Villages. Famous Avignon, the capital of Provence (60km), and Aix-en-Provence, (62km) one of France's most beautiful university towns, are just over an hour away.

Within the Luberon National Park the charming villages and beautiful scenery offer an ideal setting for hiking, cycling, and even kayaking along the Sorgue. Many of the idyllic hilltop villages have maintained their original features with castles, caves and historical artefacts to discover, including one of the most spectacular at La Tour d’Aigues (42km) which still has its dungeons. There are climbing opportunities near Buoux (10km), a tiny village with a castle not to be missed and now a mecca for rock-climbing.

The wine routes nearby are incredible whilst other more family friendly activities include horse-riding and tree-top activity centres nearby plus a zoo and model railway both within an hours drive.

Read more about Luberon

With some of the most enchanting landscapes of Provence, the Luberon awaits with its idyllic perched villages, swathes of lavender, cherry trees, vineyards and dense forest.

Become captivated by the scenery as you potter around artistic Gordes with its atmospheric Tuesday morning market before heading to hilltop Ménerbes, the village that inspired Peter Mayle’s ‘A Year in Provence’. Romantic Bonnieux enjoys the most glorious vistas, surrounded by a sea of vines and orchards, whilst red-hued Roussillon will take your breath away with its ochre landscapes and pine forests. They are all officially classified as ‘Plus Beaux Villages’ in France.

Yet there are so many hidden gems to explore as well. Discover the historic doorways, windmills and summer cherries of Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt, then head to Goult to embrace its Provençal charm with little shops and pavement cafes. Surrounded by fields of lavender, Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt is another historic jewel of the Luberon, often overshadowed by the handsome and historic town of Apt.

To the south of the Luberon, follow Albert Camus’ footsteps in Lourmarin, sip coffee by the picturesque bassin lined with plane trees in Cucuron and soak up the history of Ansouis – all three villages have a fine reputation for their high-end dining with a choice of Michelin starred restaurants.

Indeed, across the region look out for restaurant terraces serving Provençal cuisine with superb vistas alongside characterful markets showcasing seasonal delights from the Luberon and beyond (olives, melons, strawberries, cherries, truffles, chestnuts, lavender products and more). Most villages host a lovely weekly market whilst the largest in the Luberon is held on a Saturday morning in Apt. Just on the edge of the Luberon, L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is famed for its antique stores and Sunday morning brocante. Meanwhile, wine lovers should visit the vineyards and wineries of the region producing Luberon and Ventoux AOC wines.

The walking, hiking and cycling opportunities in the Luberon seem endless and you will also find horse-riding, rock-climbing and tree-top adventures as well as canoeing and kayaking along the Sorgue near Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. Come across hiking trails for all abilities passing vineyards and forest or venture through the hills and mountain gorges for spectacular scenery. Cycling is also extremely popular – as well as more challenging routes, we especially love the family-friendly Véloroute du Calavon, a paved voie verte following a former railway line near the Calavon river passing poppies, lavender and orchards so typical of the Luberon.