plambers

Hi. this is for june/july 2016. we, with kids 11 and 13, will be spending a week in dordogne, then coming to provence for last week of june and then to paris for 5 nights.

we want to be able to walk to town for some breakfasts and good dinner and also want some market activity. last time we stayed in velleron so this a bit father into lavender county

any other activities here? is end of june good for lavender blooms?

thanks all

traveller1959

Lavender should start blooming by end of June. It reaches its climax by mid-July and is harvested in August.

Goult is in the upper Provence. It is an arid, barren country with an austere charme. You should visit Gordes, a beautiful small town with little stone huts on the surrounding fields. There is also a museum of Victor Vasarely's mesmerizing illusionist paintings and sculptures. Even your kids will like this kind of modern art.

The kids will also love the ochre canyon of Roussillion. You will be fascinating by the colourful rock and mud structures and the smell of wild thyme.

Although it is a bit driving westwards, do not miss the opportunity to show your kids some examples of 2,000-year-old Roman architecture. Les Antiques near St. Remy are a quick and easy visit (just roadside monuments, no entrance fees) and impressive enough. In Arles, you can see an almost completely preserved Roman amphitheatre and a socalled "Greek" theatre. On the way back, you might make a stop at Les Baux, a ruined medieval village, surrounded by impressive scenery.

Christina

Goult is a nice small village, but there aren't a lot of dining choices there. There are a couple though (Bartavelle is the best). It's very near Gordes, and is convenient if you have a car because it's right of a major road (D900).

It's in the Luberon park, I have never thought of it as arid or dry or more austere than many other villages around there. There are trees all around, including around the main square (which is about all there is of Goult). here are some photos and info

http://www.beyond.fr/villages/goult.html

http://www.travelbelles.com/2010/04/...oult-provence/


I think you may envision it as being bigger than it is from your comments. I don't even know if they have a roving market, but it's not going to be like those in larger towns, although you can certainly drive to them (eg, Apt or Isle-sur-la-Sorgue). The village has a few small shops that sell some groceries.

Here is a list of all the Provence markets, I don't see any in Goult.
http://www.marches-provence.com/uplo...es_marches.pdf

greg

The ochre canyon of Roussillion would be interesting to kids. Do not wear canvas shoes or anything light color shoes or pants that can absorb color. You walk over a fine powder orange ochre dirt path. If you have not seen ochre, just imagine walking over a few inch thick finely ground turmeric power and what that would do to your shoes and long pants.

Les Baux-de-Provence castle would be another interesting place for kids but at south of St-Remy. The Carrieres de Lumieres light show, near the castle would something unique. You don't have to move your car. Just walk over from the castle to the quarry where the light show is.

plambers

Hi all. last time we stayed in Velleron and found it a very central location. Kids were not with us then so we plan to go to some markets, to Oppede (remember finding it fascinating), Roussillion, Lacoste and most likely Les Baux. I found Gordes a bit disappointing last time as it is hard to live up to the hype.

Was also considering the Ventoux region like Seguret.

Any ohter suggestions where to base ourselves. Thanks all.

plambers

we also went to ille sur la sorge and some town with a fort that we hiked to. sorry for butchering spelling.

StuDudley

We've vacationed in the Gordes/Goult area in the Luberon for a total of 6 1/2 weeks & I've never thought it was arid. Lots of vineyards, orchards, & lavender fields. I think the area just south of the Alpillies is quite arid, however, and so is the region south of the Luberon hills.

There are 4 very nice restaurants in Goult. The nicest just opened earlier last year. There is also a weekly market in Goult (may be summer only - I have pictures of it). Goult also has several bakeries, a butcher, a decent grocery/vegetable store and a Cafe du Poste which is quite active during Sunday's mid-day lunch/dinner period (need to get there early in summer). We stayed in Goult for 2 weeks last year & loved it. Doesn't get the tourist mobs that Gordes & Roussillon get. Very picturesque village built on rock out-croppings.

Here is my wife's Shutterfly book from last year's trip to Nice & the Luberon/Goult. Provence pictures are half-way through the book. Click "View photo book" and then "full screen"
http://share.shutterfly.com/share/re...=1EYt2Llw1ZMtw

Stu Dudley

Stu Dudley

StuDudley

The restaurant that opened last year in Goult has already "made" the Michelin Red Guide. We actually dined here twice last year. Nice outside terrace on the main square in town - across the square from the TI.
http://www.restaurant-goult.com/

Also, there is Bartavelle (mentioned by Christina) which we've dined at 4 times over the years - including last year.

Plus La Terrasse (also mentioned by Christina in the link), and a fourth restaurant (can't remember the name) that's right on the main street through town a few doors from the Cafe du Poste.

Stu Dudley

plambers

wow! ok so goult looking like a central spot to stay for a week. just need to verify that house is walkable to town. thanks again all.

DebitNM

Might you consider this rental? It is in a great location, with a short stroll of 10 minute or so into the village. There is a weekly market there on Tuesday along with a small Casino market, 2 boulangeries, a tabac, and a couple of places to eat.

You will have a car, so eating in the village isn't all that necessary, right?

We stayed at one of their gites in September 2012. Lovely British owners who are great hosts and live next to the rental house -- Le Chene. St. Saturnin les Apts is in a perfect location to drive to all of the places mentioned above in short time.

http://www.accommodationinprovence.com/

http://www.accommodationinprovence.com/what-to-do/

frenchaucoeur

You mention that you're considering staying further north, around Seguret. I don't recommend Seguret, which is beautiful but basically an outdoor museum, with no services and a couple of restaurants--a gorgeous place to walk around but a terrible base. However, you might look at the neighboring village of Sablet, which is a real functioning village with a small grocery, two bakeries, a butcher--but just a small market, or the larger town of Vaison la Romaine, which has a fabulous market, tons of restaurants, and all kinds of services. It also has Roman ruins and a beautiful medieval quarter, plus a real Ronan bridge that is still very much in use.

I've stayed both in the Luberon and in Sablet for extended stays, and I much prefer the area around Vaison. Far fewer tourists, easy access to everything, and great natural beauty in the Dentelles and the lovely wine villages like Gigondas. And it's only an hour from the Luberon should you wish to visit.

plambers

Debit and french, thanks much. Debit, love love love Le Chene-will look into! Love that there is someone that can speak our language and guide us. Last time we stayed at Villa Velleron and they had Dutch owners who gave us so many tips!

French, is Sablet a good base? That was on my list. Good spot for kids too? Any other good based around Vaison? We visited briefly last time and really enjoyed the area.

Again, thanks!

DebitNM

FYI - Le Chene is air conditioned, so if you change you dates to later summer, you should be ok as far as that is concerned. If you contact David, please let him know that I referred you; he and his wife Karen are 2 lovely people who truly love being hosts.

TDudette

I can't compare with Goult, but DH and I thought Lourmarin was very inviting--not to mention on one level! It is south of Goult.

frenchaucoeur

Hi, plambers,

I think Sablet is a perfect base, and I've rented many houses all over France. It's a real village, not a museum, but with lots of charm and friendly merchants (the butcher volunteered to roast a chicken for me and put it aside even though it wasn't his usual "roast chicken" day); the views from most windows over the Dentelles are breathtaking; it's a fifteen-minute drive to Vaison, a larger town where there is a sprawling market that I simply love--we buy croissants from our bread guy, then go into a cafe, order a cafe creme, and watch the mix of tourists, yes, but mostly locals go about their business. Sablet doesn't have many restaurants, but it has a great cafe on the central place, the Cafe des Sports, where everyone just hangs out, and we made a habit of stopping late in the afternoon for ice cream or coffee, depending on how hot it was. We have based there twice, and I told a friend about it, and she has also used it as a base for two trips and can't wait for the third.

I feel I should note that I don't get any payment from the Sablet tourist people. I just love the place--it's easy to get to know the local merchants, who are very friendly, and feel for a moment like you belong.

Also, the scenery around Vaison, from the Dentelles to Mont Ventoux, is breathtaking. The views from the tiny village of Crestet, just east of Vaison, is worth the airfare all by itself.

As for your kids, I'm not sure what to say. Because Sablet is a medieval village, the buildings are attached, working their way up the hill to the top and the old church, so no pools or anything like that, although many houses have some contrived terraces or outdoor space. But there are rentals a bit out of town that offer more outdoor space and even pools.

Do consider this area. I know mine is a minority opinion, but to me the villages like Sablet and Vacqueyras are gorgeous and feel much more "real" to me than many of the Luberon villages--no tour buses. Lourmarin and Gordes are very pretty, but, having stayed twice in the Luberon for multiweek stays, I can tell you that we'll continue to make our base in the Vaison area. So do your homework and make your choice. The reality is that you'll love whichever one you choose.

frenchaucoeur

Just a quick addition--the lavender fields in the southern Drome, between Valreas and Vinsobres, are in full bloom in late June and will take your breath way. This is maybe 45 minutes north of Sablet. There's also a terrific market in the town of Nyons, famous for its olives. This is a long drive from the Luberon, much more manageable from the Haut Vaucluse.

alohatoall

I second Frenchaucoeur's recommendation of Sablet -- it's really a perfect base for visiting northern Provence and southern Drome, and the Luberon and St-Remy are less than an hour away. It's less touristed and crowded than the latter 2 areas, and in addition to the Roman ruins at Vaison-la-Romaine, it's about 20 minutes from Orange with its magnificent theater and 50 minutes from the Pont du Gard. A canoe trip near the bridge would be a great expedition for your kids. Seguret has a couple of good restaurants and is fun to stroll through, but it's much less desirable as a base. This is a perfect house in Sablet for a couple and 2 kids: http://www.houseinprovence.net/Page_2.html. The owners are Australian and delightful to deal with -- you can even pay Tony with a check in American dollars! I really can't think of a downside to staying in Sablet!

plambers

Alohatoall, house looks lovely but think we really want a pool. Need to think if we really do…or will look to see if I can find a nearby house with a pool.