London to Avignon

A greener and more sensible way to enjoy your holiday in Avignon than driving or flying into town from the UK is to come by train. Eurostar offers a direct weekly Saturday service to the heart of Provence from 11 July to 12 September 2009. Prices can be as low as 99£ return or even 56 for the under 26. Eurostar journeys are carbon neutral, ( the company compensate it's CO2 emissions, apparently )at no extra cost for the traveler. Anyway, a Eurostar journey is much greener than going by air, generating around one-tenth of the amount of carbon dioxide emissions.

Once you're there, don't expect any more to be able to enjoy the colorful chaos of Avignon's train station as depicted in the movie "Mr Bean's holiday". There is a new and efficient TGV station just 3 km. south of town, with frequent connecting buses arriving within the city walls. (Bus fare is 1.20 euros per trip) From there to our holiday studios it is only a short walk, ( which won't damage your faithfull and battered suitcase wheels.) We can fetch you at the bus stop, if you are scared to loose your way. You'll recognize me easily, for I am afraid I do look and dress a bit like Rowan Atkinson.

The wine maker's procession in Avignon

Today the vignerons, french for winemakers, of the famous Cotes du Rhone production area have been staging, like they do every year, le ban des vendanges, a procession that comes complete with medieval costumes, jugglers, acrobats, donkeys and heavily embroidered banners.
The procession follows the main street, 50 meters from our building, anf ends at the rocher des Dom, the huge monolith on wich sits the cathedral and the Popes palace. There was Mass at the cathedral, and some harvesting in the tiny Pope's wineyard at the top of the Rocher, facing the Rhone valley. But clearly all this people expected more action.
Wine tasting, anybody?
We had guests staying at the studio and they bought for 2 euros a magical glass : (acually they bought two which says a lot to their taste for good wine. They were told they could refil it as often as they liked ... provided they sat patiently trough all the official adresses from the mayor, the prefet, the presidents of various societies ...
As they told us, the end of all these discourses was vigourously applauded. The good news is that everybody in the wine profession was confident that 2009 will be a great year, having benefited from lots of sun - and little rain except at the end of the maturation process, which is said to be just fine.

Salads in Avignon

While staying in downtown Avignon ( the locals say " intra-muros" as if the Popes were not really gone and Latin still the official langage), you will certainly be tempted to indulge in the pleasures of the mouth : lots of restaurants ( of note, the Cid and the Opera café on the Place de l'Horloge, the Artists on place Crillon, the pleasant Pearl on place Saint-Didier, and the friendly Jasmin downstairs from the flat.
But Avignon is also at the center of a great agricultural region. Fresh produce find their way daily into the central halles Market, five minutes from this house. Great sarray of sellers, vegies, cheese etc, and the place even offers a cooking school). Chances are that you will indulge in some cooking of your own. Our studio comme complete with pots and pans, and should you need extra spices or advice, we live just upstairs and will be glad to oblige. This glorious salad was made from BIO tomatoes. It might not be tourism-office material, but the photo is rather nice. These black or purple tomatoes are a russian variety, grown locally. I was of the opinion that they looked better without the cheese on, so we took it away for the photo. But now I'm not really sure ... What do you think ?

hidden treasure : the seaside 1 hour from Avignon

The mediterranean coast in the south of France could hardly be called a hidden treasure : hordes of vacationers are pouring yearly either East of the Rhone valley towards the Cote d'Azur ( St Tropez, Hyeres, Cannes ...), or West towards the Languedoc coast (Montpellier, Cap d'agde, Grande Motte).

Avignon is located at the intersection of the highways to these well know destinations. Yet if you venture directly south, in the mouth of the Rhone river you have a choice of less over-exploited destinations :
- Saintes Maries de la mer and the Plage de l'Espiguette , for that windy, salty, horsey feeling of the Camargue ; Saintes Maries de la mer is the place where Sarah and Mary disembarked from the holy Land, so legend has it. I dont suppose that they went to the age old restaurant lou Santem, altought everyone does. Great for wind surfing, kiteflying, kite surfing... Read more on Saintes Maries " Bohème chic"
- The remarkable "calanques" of the Estaque hills west of Marseille are more fun for snorkelling , diving, seakayaking, climbing and and hiking . These are really hidden, unlike the famous ones East of Marseille ( Cassis, Sormiou ...)
So much that I am at risk to be shot at if I publish the detailled list of the Estaque calanques and their many cliffs and beaches, somme not much larger than an american king-size bed.( From Martigues and Carry le Rouet to l'Estaque, a lovely train runs along this idyllic strech of coast, stopping in tiny stations ). But shall you come to our place, I'll be happy to whisper to you the way to these great spots.

Country walks in Provence

Avignon is a great starting point for walks in the lovely countryside of Provence. The city is at the center of an extensive local bus network (the bus station is minutes away from your flat).

I love walking and strongly suggest you take walks in nearby Alpilles ( Saint Remy with its Roman ruins and les Baux de Provence are only 25 km away) or even closer in the " Montagnette", stopping at the summit at the St Michel de Frigoulet's welcoming Abbey. Olive orchards ( photo), mediteranean pine forests, river and canals banks are on the menu.
Even closer is Avignon's huge and green Barthelasse island in the middle of the Rhone river, within easy reach by a free 5' ferry ride. There is even an olympic size swimming pool at the ferry arrival !

Furnished flats need... well, furnishings

Shopping in and around Avignon for bric-a-brac and furniture is a great experience. First you must try the antiques shop in the posh city streets like Joseph Vernet or Grande Fusterie ... big bucks, but great stuff for sale and very knowledgeable sellers.

Then you shoudnt miss the "brocantes", weekly events like the pleasant open air markets in Villeneuve les Avignon or Isle sur la Sorgue, (photos) or seasonal ones like the Carpentras " vide grenier" mid-august - very popular events, but prices tending to reach the level of antiques shops! A few sellers remain reasonable . For experts, the "salle des ventes" or auction rooms will be a good source of interesting period funiture ... try the one in Avignon next to the TGV strain station!

Finally, for really good deals, I suggest you try the "depot vente" ( sort of hangar-like places in drab surroundings, like Le Pontet, home to France largest shopping malls. The depot vente are not in these malls , but more often in hangars on the fringe of public housing estates ... this is where you will find real gems among the bric a bras of derelict mass produced junk. You'll return proud of the beautiful chair you bought for 8 euros : it would have cost four time as much in Villeneuve Isle sur la Sorgue or downtown Avignon.
Come to stay by us, and I will gladly show you the way to these places !

Charming studios and Rooms

For rent, daily or weekly rates : Charming studios and Rooms

In this historic building, a lovely XVII Century STUDIO in the Provence style. .
Enjoy the best part of Avignon, minutes away from the Popes palace, the shopping district and the many museums.
Bathroom with bath, kitchenette, wholly furnished.
The owners live upstairs and will make sure your stay is enjoyable ;
Also available, rooms with independant access and bathroom . Great offer for families or friends travelling together.
Bookings : 33.627691845

A good idea to start with : Avignon en Provence

In our humble opinion, Avignon will be the highlight of your visit to Provence, that sunny region in the south-east of France.
Why go to Provence at all anyway?

Because the weather is good, splendid ; much sunnier than in the rest of France and even northern Italy.
But also because :
- the food is superb, based on fresh produce, tasty but simple recipes.
- lodgings are  better than the french average, althought a bit on the pricey side ( but we offer here a solution to this problem)
- the wines tend to be strong, refined and affordable,  ( this despite the fact that experts like Tony Parker rate some of them as truly prodigious)
 - the landscapes are a painters delight, and incredibly varied from the craggy limestone peaks of Montmirail to the laveder fields of Luberon, the salt flats of Camargue, etc.
- the stones monuments Roman arches and arenas, medieval abbeys and cathedrals, walled cities, classic-erapalaces and castels ...are suitably old (and often golden-hued),
- culture is alive everywhere from big festivals to village parades,
and more important, because the people here are genuinely nice. They care for you, they like to oblige, to comment and to smile at you and to jest. OK, you didn't need to read Peter Mayles'book "A year in Provence"  to be  tempted to settle in the country side of Provence. But the countryside is not the only place to feel the pulse and passions of the region. Some preserved cities can do the trick better. There are quite a few largish towns in Provence : Aix, Marseille, Nice... but those are big cities - probably just what you want to forget.
But then again, why Avignon??

Avignon is "une grande petite ville" : both small ( about 100.000 inhabitants) and immensely rich in architecuremonuments, history and culture. It is a World Heritage city,  but also a university town : an open minded placee, home to Europe's first or second biggest theater festival (shoulder to shulder with the Fringe in Edinburgh), museums, many gay restaurants and venues, nightlife, art galleries, antiques shop, design outlets, designers boutiques...

We suggest you start from here :

Charming studios and Rooms in the center of Avignon

In this intimate but historic building, (once part of a Antonian Convent)you can rent by the week one of our lovely XVII Century STUDIO furnished in the Provence style, or book one of our independent guest rooms.
Enjoy staying in the best part of Avignon, only minutes away from the Popes palace, in the heart of the shopping district and within walking distance to the gastronomic restaurants, museums, train and bus stations.
The studios offer a Bathroom with bath, kitchenette, wholly furnished.
The owners live upstairs and will make sure your stay is enjoyable ; just bring your suitcase. Free wifi, book exchange, local info.
Also available, two guest rooms with independant access and bathroom. Altogether a great offer for couples, but also families or friends travelling together.

Studio : weekly spring season rate 310 euros (including electricity, laundry...)
Guest rooms : 60 euros per night, minimum stay 2 nights.


Booking 0627691845