As you enter the pretty hill-top village of Venasque you pass the sign
proclaiming it to be one of France's most beautiful villages. This is a
stunning, beautifully restored medieval village defined by a 6th Century
Baptisty at one end and the remains of the old fortifications at the other.
The Venasque holiday house is located in a small square ("La Planette") near to the
village church.
It has a picture window which offers one of the valley's most stunning views of Mont Ventoux. It has been renovated artfully, combining modern
effects with original features. The ground floor is open plan with a
well-equipped, modern kitchen, dining area and a separate living area with
leather sofa and fireplace (for winter visitors - this place is every bit as
stunning any time of the year).
There are four bedrooms on two
floors, each with a double bed and both floors have a well-equipped bathroom.
There is a second living room on the first floor for watching TV or getting away
from it.
The garden is divided into three
sections: closest to the house is the terrace for outdoor dining and a small
grassed garden with olive and apricot trees. Through a gate and down a few steps
is the swimming pool and at the far end of the garden is a gravelled area with
seating, the perfect spot to enjoy a pre-dinner glass of wine whilst watching
the sun go down over nearby Carpentras.
This is a wonderful place to stay:
luxury, serenity and beauty all wrapped up in one place.
Venasque and its environs
According
to the sign as you enter the village, Venasque is one of the most beautiful
villages in France. We couldn't agree more. It was from here, in 1995, that our
great passion for wine was aroused after all. We have been visiting the region
and staying here almost every year since then (strangely, the only summers we
haven't been have been 1997, 2002 and 2008, all lesser years! Perhaps Inter-Rh�ne
should bring us here for our holidays).
Venasque is perched on a rock with the ruins of the medieval fortifications at one end (with a superb view of
the region and a great children's play park) and, at the other end, a picture
postcard 11th century church built on the remains of a 6th century baptistery,
itself constructed on the ruins of a Roman temple, once the area's cathedral,
hence the old name for the region, the Comtat Venaissin.
For such a small village (most of
the inhabitants live in the Notre Dame de Vie convent in the valley), Venasque
is well provided for with a bread shop open every day except Monday (when there
is a small market in St Didier, 3 miles away) and a small shop open every
morning except for Mondays. There are restaurants too, offering a range of foods
to suit most people (although the Auberge at nearby Le Beaucet is worth going
further afield for).
For the more athletic (or anyone
feeling guilty after all the fine food and wine), there is a sports area on the
edge of the village including a tennis court and the 20 minute walk around the rock should
be a daily ritual.
Apart from St Didier, the town of
Carpentras is only 10 minutes away and has supermarkets, restaurants and one of
the very best markets every Friday when traders take over the town centre.
Avignon is half an hour away and for those who, like us, want to explore the
region viticulturally, Ch�teauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas and most of the great wine
villages of the Vaucluse are not more than about half an hour's drive. We would
be happy to make recommendations of places to visit according to your
preferences, wine budget, language needs etc.
What makes Venasque so perfectly
situated is all the above together with its proximity to the Luberon, a region
which is home to many other spectacular villages (including Gordes, Roussillon
and Lacoste, home to the Marquis de Sade) as well as the beautiful working
monastery, the Abbaye de Senanque (which sells the best honey in the world).
Just a little further away (generally no more than an hour's drive) are other
spectacular sites including the Ardeche's Pont d'Arc, the Pont du Gard and the
Postman's Palace (all pictured below).
Contact details:
The house is owned by a family member so please
email James for
more information or to make a booking. You can book online through other
websites but you will have to pay the agent's premium (usually around 20%
extra) and won't benefit from these special prices.
Pricing July/August, also Christmas, New Year and
Easter week - 2,000€/week.
The last week in May - half-term week - until
the end of June are 1,750€, as are all weeks in September and October.