Villa des Ferriers

101km.

Marseille 85km, Avignon 40km.
Avignon TGV railway station 50km.

Restaurant 3km. Bar, supermarket, bakery and shops 4km. Larger choice of shops, restaurants, bars and market in Apt (7.5km).
Hospital in Apt (6.5km).

LOCAL MARKETS
Sunday: Coustellet (18km)
Monday: Cadenet (27km)
Tuesday: Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt (8km)
Wednesday: Lacoste 11km Thursday: Roussillon (4km)
Friday: Gargas (4km), Lourmarin (23km) – particularly recommended.
Saturday: Apt (7.5km) – the largest and best in the area. It takes up the whole town, but the nicest part is towards the Place de la Bouquerie. Please note that in summer, it can take a bit of time to find a place to park.

Parc Naturel Regional du Luberon (8km)
This is a region of stunning natural beauty with superb, varied scenery and outstanding views. To the north you will find the wild mountain scenery of the Vaucluse hills and famous Mont Ventoux. To the south the amazing oak and pine covered slopes of the Luberon mountains. The Luberon valley is dotted with vineyards, cherry orchards and lavender fields enhanced by stunning hill-top villages. This region is also renowned for its quality restaurants and locally produced fruit, cheeses, honey and many other irresistible delights. You will also find many very good local vineyards producing excellent Cotes du Luberon and Cotes de Ventoux with tastings available at all the small Domains as well as the two big ‘Cave Cooperatives’. Colourful Provencal fabrics and beautiful table linen are also available in the charming local markets along with a large variety of pottery. Several of the villages have art galleries where you can view and buy from local artists.

Apt (8km)
The market town of Apt with its famous Saturday market is only 15 minutes’ drive away. This market which is the largest and best in the area has taken place for centuries and takes up the whole town. This is a definite must! The nicest part is towards the Place de la Bouquerie. Please note that in summer, it can take a bit of time to find a place to park.

Goult (10km)
Charming 14th-century village featuring local cafes, bars, and restaurants, along with smaller shops, a bakery, and a butcher. On Thursdays, the village hosts a market where you can purchase a wide selection of local produce. Perched on a hill, Goult has a solitary road leading to the peak, crowned by the 12th-century Château de Goult.

Bonnieux (10km)
Halfway between the villa and the beautiful village of Lourmarin lies Bonnieux, offering a variety of great restaurants and cafés, a fantastic Friday market, and even a bakery museum. Just outside Bonnieux you might want to pay a visit to Chateau la Canorgue (2km) a family-owned estate pioneer in organic farming producing high quality wines. There are also several walking trails and cycling routes through meadows, lavender fields and typical old dry-stone huts also bories.

Lacoste (11km)
There are several walks in the mountains with easy access from the house. Some of the routes lead to the nearby village of Lacoste, overlooking Bonnieux and the surrounding countryside. The architecture and the cobblestone streets give the impression of a village where time has stood still. The oldest building in the town, la Maison Forte, dates back to the 9th century. Lacoste is best known for its most notorious resident, the Marquis de Sade, who lived in Château de Lacoste in the 18th century, overlooking the village. In the 1990s, the ruins of the Château, along with an attached quarry, were bought by fashion designer Pierre Cardin, and since 1994 musical and theatrical works have been performed there. Adding to the town’s reputation as an artistic haven, the Lacoste School of the Arts was founded in 1970 by American art professor and painter Bernard Pfriem.

Gordes (14km)
Perched on a rock, Gordes, one of the most beautiful villages in France has been one of Provence’s watchtowers, watching over the Luberon forests for centuries. Its rich history and sublime panorama make Gordes one of the must-see villages of Provence. With narrow, winding cobblestone streets, wonderful architecture and amazing views Gordes will enchant you but beware the village gets very busy in summer!

Ménerbes (17km)
Officially recognised as one of the most beautiful villages of France, Ménerbes is another classic perched village with stunning views, restaurants, cafés, bakery and a seasonal market on Thursday morning. Ménerbes gained international fame in the 1990s thanks to Peter Mayle’s book A Year in Provence, which he wrote in the village. Today, it has returned to being a quiet gem in the Luberon.

Oppède le Vieux (18km)
Situated halfway up the northern slopes of the Luberon massif, the dramatic and haunting Oppède le Vieux is coming back to life after years of abandonment. This magnificent little hill-top village is built high on a rocky outcrop. To visit, leave your car in the car park at the base of the village before following the picturesque path up the hill. You will be enchanted by this historic village and enjoy wandering around this village admiring the charming 15th and 16th-century houses that have been skillfully restored.

The Colorado Provencal (19km)
Situated between the villages of Rustrel and Gignac waymarked walks take you through a unique and colourful desert scenery with yellow and red rock formations created when ochre was quarried in the area. Villages nearby also worth a visit include:
Villars (11km) a little village built on top of a small hill with pretty views. Saignon (12km) With its Roman church, walks, horse riding and superb views from the top of the village. Saignon is a must!

DAY TRIP IDEAS

Musée de la Lavande and Musée de l’huile d’Olive (18km)
This is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the discovery of what can be called the “blue gold of Provence”. Visiting the museum of lavender is an invitation to total immersion in all things lavender: traditional distillation, lavender-scented watercolour, lavender sachet workshops, and a cinema screening. This is a real sensory adventure in the heart of Provence. 3km from the lavender museum you will find the olive oil museum where you can discover how olive oil has been produced over the centuries, the different olive tree species and find out all about this emblematic and magical Mediterranean product.

L’Isle sur la Sorgue (29km)
L’Isle sur la Sorgue is a pretty market town, much loved for its antique shops and twice weekly markets. Once an important fishing town, with an abundance of crayfish in the River Sorgue, there are also several canals running through the centre. Perhaps, unsurprisingly, the town has been called the Venice of Provence. The river has influenced the development of the town, providing for thriving crafts and industries, flour mills, wool and silk workshops. Many of the waterwheels remain adding to the picturesque charm of the town. Each Sunday there is quite a carnival atmosphere with a flea market, regarded as of the best antique markets in France (Thursday in normal market day).

Avignon (49km)
Avignon, on the banks of the Rhone, is probably best-known these days for the children’s song – Sur le Pont d’Avignon. But for several decades in the 14th century, it was the capital of Christendom, after Pope Clement V moved his court here to avoid the chaos in Rome. The legacy of that papal schism can be seen today in the city’s UNESCO-protected architecture, including the vast Palais des Papes. And nearby Châteauneuf-du-Pape, site of a now-ruined castle built by a later pope, still produces acclaimed red wines. The city’s intact ramparts and pedestrianised centre lend Avignon a small-town, medieval feel. Yet each July, the city goes totally 21st century, as thousands of visitors descend for a contemporary performing arts extravaganza, the Festival d’Avignon.

Aix en Provence (58km)
Aix en Provence is a lively and very appealing town with numerous restaurants and bars near the famous tree-lined Cours Mirabeau, markets on most week-days where you can sample regional produce including Calissons d’Aix (delicious marzipan based confectionery). There are lots of wonderful art galleries all within walking distance from one another in the centre of Aix, shops, music and much more!

NEARBY ACTIVITIES
Golf: Golf des Ocres (12km) or Saumane de Vaucluse (28km).
Tennis: Gargas (4km) or Apt (6km).
Horse-riding: 5km.
Bike hire: Le Chêne (2km).
Aquabase water park, Apt (6km. Great fun for young children on the Riaille Lake.