Bedoin and area - very hilly/windy roads or more gentle terrain?
Mar 21st, 2009, 11:59 AM
#1
Original Poster
Bedoin and area - very hilly/windy roads or more gentle terrain?
Friends are looking at a rental in Bedoin but a member of the party cannot tolerate very windy roads - change of altitude. Looking at the google terrain map it looks fine but hope someone here can comment about the general driving conditions into and out of Bedoin (say....from the Avignon area)
Also - is it a good are for young children - lots to do?
Thanks
Also - is it a good are for young children - lots to do?
Thanks
Mar 21st, 2009, 12:29 PM
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We've spent 6 weeks in a Gite there - excellent area. The main section of the town itself is flat, with a church & some homes a little higher up. Everything south is flat or rolling hills with lots of vineyards. Bedoin is the start of the ascent up Mt Ventoux, which is very steep but you'll have no reason to go up there except if you want to reach the top of Ventoux. There is a very nice/scenic somewhat winding road directy west, which gets you to Malaucene, then on to Vaison. I can't imagine anyone having a problem with that road.
There are lots & lots of cafes on the main street in Bedoin - mainly simple ones. There are 3 pizza places, a pasta place, and many French cafes/restaurants. There are 3 bike rental shops. Also a nudist camp close by.
There is a fabulous Monday morning farmer's/crafts market. Also, about 1/3 of the weekends we've been there (always in June), there has been a craft fair on the main square in town. There is also a nice grocery in town.
If you head out towards Sault, you will start getting into some mountains, gorges, and the lavender fields. There are not huge mountains, although they are quite scenic.
Getting to Avignon is perfectly flat. Same with Carpentras, Pernes, l'Isle sur la Sorgue, Luberon, St Remy, Pont du Gard, Uzes. If the scenic road directly west is to winding, you can get to Malaucene & Vaison by going through Modene & Caromb - which is flat.
Stu Dudley
There are lots & lots of cafes on the main street in Bedoin - mainly simple ones. There are 3 pizza places, a pasta place, and many French cafes/restaurants. There are 3 bike rental shops. Also a nudist camp close by.
There is a fabulous Monday morning farmer's/crafts market. Also, about 1/3 of the weekends we've been there (always in June), there has been a craft fair on the main square in town. There is also a nice grocery in town.
If you head out towards Sault, you will start getting into some mountains, gorges, and the lavender fields. There are not huge mountains, although they are quite scenic.
Getting to Avignon is perfectly flat. Same with Carpentras, Pernes, l'Isle sur la Sorgue, Luberon, St Remy, Pont du Gard, Uzes. If the scenic road directly west is to winding, you can get to Malaucene & Vaison by going through Modene & Caromb - which is flat.
Stu Dudley
Mar 21st, 2009, 01:09 PM
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We don't have kids either. There are several shops in the main road through town, and I'm sure they would love the Monday market. If they are old enough to navigate by themselves, and can ride bikes, this is a VERY popular bike riding area. Southeast towards Flassan & south to Mormoiron there are some nice biking roads that don't get much car traffic. There is a lake close by. La Barroux has a castle. Vaison has ruins of a Roman village - the kids always get a kick out of the Roman toilets. The medieval section of Vaison is steep & would be fun for kids to explore. There is a school in the middle of Bedoin, and you can go to the Bar au Cours in the morning, have a coffee/juice & watch the parents walk their kids to school. School closes later in France than in the US (if that's where you are from).
Stu Dudley
Stu Dudley
