Affordable Provence: Charm, Comfort, Convenience & Elevator!
- Minimum stay:Contact owner
- Internet:Yes
- Pets allowed:No
- Wheel chair accessible:Yes
Le Petit Reve, our pied a terre, is truly our dream come true--a comfortable, modern apartment lovingly furnished to harmonize with the Provencal location, yet provide convenience and affordability.
Lourmarin has great cafes, tea rooms and restaurants, but there's a small well-equipped kitchen in the apartment with an open plan that has enough space to prepare your own food--if you want to! In the living-dining room, there's a sliding door to a small terrace where you can dine al fresco on warm days. Or maybe you'll just decide to have some wine and cheese at the end of the day. The bedroom has lots of storage space and hooks for your clothes--after all, we live here, too! Little things mean a lot to us; for instance, there is a night-table and lamp at each side of the bed. And the bathroom is large and modern with a full-size tub, shower, shower curtain, sink/vanity and towel warmer. The toilet is in a separate room, 'Le Petit Coin'.
There are lots of wonderful books (many beautiful 'coffee table' picture books) in both English and French and CDs to enjoy in your free time (if you have any); and a good collection of foreign movies (French and Italian) with English subtitles, plus several American movies as well.
(There's also satellite TV for viewing French programs).
We have free WiFi in the apartment so you can access your email or surf the net if you like; and we recently purchased a small desk so you can sit at the window and admire Provence's brilliant blue sky while you catch up with email. We have a land line that can be used at no charge for local calls and for long distance calls to the US, Canada and most other European countries.
Parking is on level ground, free and right near our building. There are supermarkets and discount stores out of town, but you don't actually have to leave town to find whatever you might need. Two grocery stores and a great bakery are a very short walk away. In fact, one of the grocery stores, as well as three tea rooms/cafes; several specialty shops; a library; and a pharmacy are right in the square around the corner from our building, as is Lourmarin's tourist office.
We are an American couple living in Upstate New York--when we're not in Lourmarin. Originally from New York City, we moved to 'the country' in 1971, to a farmhouse where we could enjoy a flower and vegetable garden, rural scenery and fresh air. Not content to stay put, though, we have traveled to Europe as much as we could afford over the past 47 years, especially to Italy and France.
When we discovered Lourmarin back in 2005, we knew we had to come back again and again. This part of France had the added plus of having an Italian flavor--literally and figuratively. Don't forget--olive oil is better for your health than butter!
If visiting France only means 'Paris' to you, you should really check out this part of the country. Lourmarin, in particular, is friendly and receptive to tourists. It has its own restored chateau, often sponsoring wonderful concerts and special events. There are several excellent art galleries and boutiques--and gourmet restaurants. The cafes are lively and picture-perfect. After 7 consecutive years of visiting, we still can't resist taking photos. Lourmarin also has one of the best outdoor markets in all of Provence. It will take you exactly one minute to get to this market, which happens year round, every Friday.
From our apartment you can also easily walk to your choice of beautiful country roads to admire the olive trees, cherry orchards and vineyards. There are also dozens of lovely little villages to discover that are 10 minutes to a half hour away by car.
But again, we think Lourmarin is exceptionally attractive and easy to negotiate, and the best village in Provence! Indeed, it has been designated one of the most beautiful villages in France. Albert Camus loved it too. (He and his wife are buried in the local cemetery).
We took the plunge and bought this apartment in the summer of 2006. It's primarily for us, but we would be glad to share it with others who would appreciate the experience of living in a small village in France!
In Le Petit Reve, you'll find our Welcome Handbook, containing comprehensive information on the apartment and the surrounding area ,along with a copy of 'Provence Byways' and many other guidebooks. In addition, the Lourmarin Tourist Office is one minute from the apartment. We have an English-speaking property manager who lives right in town, and is available to help you if you need additional assistance.
In November 2009, travel writers James Martin and Martha Bakerjian spent a week in our apartment. To find the blog, detailing seven days of adventures in our part of the world, click on the second link below labeled 'A Week in Provence by James Martin'.
And do feel free to email or phone us for more information!
Credit card payments are accepted via Paypal, or you may pay by personal check if you are a US resident.
CLICK ON OUR CALENDAR TO SEE AVAILABLE DATES.
PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CALL OR WRITE FOR MORE INFORMATION.
MERCI BEAUCOUP!
Keywords: Apartment
Property Type
- On floor 2
- Apartment
- 2 story
Accommodation Type
- Vacation Rental
Meals
- Guests Provide Their Own Meals
Suitability
- Pets Not Allowed
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Non Smoking Only
Bathrooms: 1 Bathrooms
Kitchen & Dining
- Kitchen
- Dishwasher
Amenities
- Hair Dryer
- Iron & Board
Other Amenities
Entertainment
- CD Player
- DVD Player
- Satellite / Cable
Communications
- Internet
- Broadband Access
Outdoor Features
Location & View
Activities
- Medical Services
- Fitness Center
- Hiking
- Massage Therapist
- ATM/Bank
- Groceries
- Laundromat
- Golf
- Rock Climbing
- Mountain Climbing
- Fishing
- Basketball Court
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Cycling
- Sight Seeing
- Cinemas
- Churches
- Library
- Museums
- Restaurants
- Live Theater
- Health/Beauty Spa
- Ruins
- Miniature Golf
- Antiquing
- Horseback Riding
- Shopping
- Winery Tours
- Scenic Drives
- Walking
Other Activities
Reviews
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Well-located in Lourmarin
Well-located in Lourmarin
- Guest Markethound
- Date of stay 10/07/12
- Review Submitted 11/27/12
I used this apartment as my base while exploring many different villages in Provence. Lourmarin is charming with several good restaurants. I especially enjoyed the Friday morning market and the weekly (Tues) evening market, during peak season, that focuses on local producers. Another highlight of our stay was going to a concert at the nearby chateau. The apartment matches the description. Small but well-equipped with kitchen essentials and an excellent library of books about the local area. Communication with the owners, both before & during the stay, was easy. They are responsive and honest. I'm already planning my return.Recommended for: Age 55+, tourists without a car.
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Ed & Marg Ontario, Canada
Ed & Marg Ontario, Canada
- Guest maggie-may
- Date of stay 09/29/12
- Review Submitted 10/14/12
This was our first time in Provence. We are so glad we chose to stay in Le Petit Reve in Lourmarin. Lourmarin is a beautiful village with several art galleries, craft shops, good restaurants and a 15th century castle. Lourmarin is a perfect location for exploring Provence. We visited Cassis on the Mediterranean, Mt. Ventous to the north and many villages in between. Le Petit Rev is exactly as shown in the photos and is a charming, quiet, comfortable place to return to at the end of a busy day of touring. The apartment was clean and well stocked, the bathroom was a nice size with a great shower, the bed was comfortable and the balcony was a nice place to enjoy a glass of wine. The owners have a small library of books on Provence and France as well as binders full of information on villages in Provence which we found very helpful. A grocery store, book store, and pharmacy are located right behind the apartment. Restaurants, boutiques, bakeries etc. are a pleasant short stroll away. Market Day on Fridays is held right behing the apartment and is not to be missed. We found the owner and property manager extremely helpful and easy to work with. We would definately recommend Le Petit Reve.Recommended for: Sightseeing, age 55+, romantic getaway.
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Provencal Paradise
Provencal Paradise
- Guest rick_jenn
- Date of stay 08/20/12
- Review Submitted 09/04/12
My wife and I just got back from France where we stayed and used Le Petit Reve as our home base. It was everything we had come to expect from other reviews, pictures, and contact between the condo owners. Lourmarin is a charming and romantic town. Has some great restaurants even though it's rather small. We used it as our home base to make day trips to Orange, Arles, Nimes, Avignon, Aix etc. We even went over to the French Riviera to a place called Le Lavandou for a day...based on a recommendation from some locals. That was an incredible day! The condo is small and quaint and filled with everything you need. Full of books and local art. Access to internet and phone. Needless to say, we highly recommend this spot---it was one of our best holidays.Recommended for: Sightseeing, romantic getaway.
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A Perfect Place
A Perfect Place
- Guest Mary Ellen
- Date of stay 07/13/12
- Review Submitted 07/27/12
It was our first time visiting France and we were truly captured with Provence. Lourmarin couldn't have been a more ideal place to stay and navigate to the many sights in the Luberon area. The apartment is beautifully appointed with a Provencal theme and offered everything we needed to make our stay comfortable and helped in making you feel part of the local culture. The restaurants and shops in Lourmarin are excellent and all so easy to walk to. We will highly recommend this apartment to any of our friends that plan to visit France.Recommended for: Girls getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, age 55+, tourists without a car, adventure seekers, romantic getaway.
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Rave Review
Guest comment entered by ownerRave Review
- Guest David and Anna
- Date of stay 06/09/12
- Review Submitted 07/12/12
I heard from David today and he raves about your apartment! He loved everything about it. Says it is the best vacation he has ever had! Just wanted to say thanks. I think he will be back and that he and I will be sending you new renters in the future. Libbie Griffin, The Touring Club, L.L.C.Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0
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Lourmarin Apartment
Lourmarin Apartment
- Guest EB Images
- Date of stay 06/19/12
- Review Submitted 07/05/12
We were two photographers in love with the small villages in Provence. The apartment was absolutely perfect for us. Not large, but with enough modern stuff for our power hungry equipment. It was perfectly located, close to the mini store and the market, close to restaurants and very easy driving to the sites we selected to visit. And free parking just outside the apartment! What a blessing. I would recommend it highly and would not hesitate to stay there again.Recommended for: Girls getaway, people with disabilities, sightseeing, age 55+, adventure seekers, romantic getaway.
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Lourmarin: The perfect location!
Lourmarin: The perfect location!
- Guest Jeannie
- Date of stay 06/02/12
- Review Submitted 06/20/12
Your apartment in Lourmarin was the perfect location for our stay! We loved how it was so close to everything & the fact that we could just leave the car parked when we stayed in town. The market right behind the apartment on Friday was the best we attended in Provence! Thanks for telling us about it or we may have missed it and planned something else for that day. The Lourmarin location was wonderful, as we could travel to so many beautiful villages within the area. It was a good time of year for viewing the gorgeous poppy fields. We loved the village, its shops & great restaurants and feel like we found the best location for part of our stay in Provence. Thank you for sharing your books & reference material and for allowing us to use your laptop computer. We were able to log into Mapquest and get distances and approximate travel times to planned destinations. We had a very enjoyable stay in Lourmarin. Thanks for sharing your vacation home with us!Recommended for: Sightseeing, age 55+, adventure seekers, romantic getaway.
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Four Weeks in Lourmarin !!
Four Weeks in Lourmarin !!
- Guest Sharon & Ken B
- Date of stay 04/23/12
- Review Submitted 06/03/12
We were lucky enough to spend a month in this beautiful village. The location of both the village and apartment could not have been better. The apartment is comfortable and well equipped. The internet and phone access was great and the both the owners and on site manger could not have been more helpful and pleasant to work with. We really began to feel a part of the village life as we started recognizing people and they in turn started chatting with us. The apartment location in Lourmarin was perfect - within 2-5 minutes we could walk anywhere. The number of very good restaurants, galleries and shops is extraodinary. There were enough restaurants that we were not able to try them all, but everyone we did try was very good, especially La Cour de Ferme. We cooked often at night and took advantage of the excellent Friday Market and the new Tuesday Producers Market which includes wineries and cheese makers as well as farmers and demontrations by local chefs (I learned some new techniques) I think we visted every village in the Luberon as well as many futher afield such as St Remy, Cassis, etc. All were very easy day trips by car. Spring in Provence is wonderful. I thought I would be disappointed as I knew we would not see the famous lavender fields in bloom, but the poppies and other many other wildflower more than made up for the lack of lavender and the weather was perfect. Wish we could do this every year!Recommended for: Sightseeing, age 55+.
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Bonjour!
Guest comment entered by ownerBonjour!
- Guest Maureen and Kerry
- Date of stay 04/03/12
- Review Submitted 04/24/12
Your apartment is lovely, very comfortable and extremely well equipped. We love the local flavour and artwork on the walls. Well done! My brother is very impressed too, he has taken one of your cards, and will certainly recommend it to their friends. Our boys are sleeping very well on the sofa bed, so much so that we are leaving them sleeping while we go down to coffee and croissants in the cafe below. Thank you so much for providing such a cozy place to return to after our busy days.Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 1/1
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First trip to Provence
Guest comment entered by ownerFirst trip to Provence
- Guest Jerry and Karen
- Date of stay 04/16/12
- Review Submitted 04/24/12
Judith: Just wanted to say thank you. We enjoyed our stay in France and particularly enjoyed the opportunity to take in Provence. The apartment was cozy and convenient to all of the area. We took in quite a lot. Will send along pics when they are processed.Did you find this review helpful? Yes | No Helpful votes: 0/0
Rates
Our 2013 rate for 1 or 2 people is $896 per week (US dollars, not euros). The minimum stay is 5 nights ($785/5 nights;$852/6 nights). If you stay longer than a week, each additional night is $120... there's a larger discount over two weeks. If 2 beds are used, there is an additional charge of $10 per night, due to additional housekeeping expenses. While we think Le Petit Reve is most comfortable for two people, we will consider accepting one or two additional guests, for an additional charge. No young children, please.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
This owner accepts: Credit cards.
Call the owner directly to confirm reservation details and pay with an approved method (credit card, check, or bank transfer), to protect your payment up to $1,000.
Location
- Nearest Airport: Marseille Provence at 40 Kilometres
- Nearest Train: Aix en Provence at 40 Kilometres
- Nearest Motorway: Autoroute A 51 at Pertuis at 16 Kilometres
- Nearest Beach: Cassis at 91 Kilometres
- Nearest Barpub: In town at Lourmarin
- Nearest Restaurant: In town at Lourmarin
Owner info
Year Purchased: 2006
Why the Owner Chose Lourmarin:
We discovered Lourmarin in the fall of 2005, on our first visit to Provence. We spent a week exploring the village, as well as many nearby towns and cities. Although we were enchanted by the whole region, we felt Lourmarin was the most liveable, accessible and charming village of them all! It was love at first sight, and we continue to feel that way, every time we return.
The Unique Benefits at this Apartment:
Our apartment is close to everything in town, yet so quiet we sometimes find it hard to believe that there are other people living nearby! We really appreciate the convenience of having an elevator, especially when we have luggage or groceries to bring upstairs. On Fridays, what a thrill it is to scoop up our shopping basket, ride downstairs, go around the back of the building, and voila! one of the best markets anywhere around. And we love the tea room right in the building that serves wonderful assiettes for lunch, or delicious desserts in the afternoon. There's a grocery store in our square, a wine shop, a pharmacy, and some of the best boutiques in town.
If we choose to walk in the other direction, we're out in the country in one minute. And it's great to be able to relax at the end of the day, either choosing to walk over to one of the great restaurants in town, or eating in the apartment. (No worries about driving under the influence of the terrific local wine!)
Contact us
- Primary: (607 )785-4131
- Secondary: (607) 239-8693 (international cell phone)
Links to more information:
Photos
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Lourmarin: One of the Most Beautiful Villages in France
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Living room with convertible sofa bed, Le Petit Reve apartment in Lourmarin
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Kitchen, Le Petit Reve
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Lourmarin's Chateau--a short walk from the apartment. Open for tours all year
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We love to visit all the regional festivals: olive festival, aioli contest
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Dining Area: Le Petit Reve
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We like to decorate with works by local artists
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Bedroom, Le Petit Reve
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Artisan market in Place Henri Barthelemy
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Admire the vineyards a short walk from our apartment!
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This listing was first published here in 2007.
Date last modified - Friday, June 14, 2013
(607 )785-4131