Vacation Rentals by Owner

Mr and Mrs Day

Guest: Carol and Martyn (London, UK)
Date of Stay: 04/16/10 Review Submitted: 10/12/10

Our family has visited La Clarte at Easter for the last four years and we have booked to go back again next year. The surrounding area, with its peaceful countryside and beautiful villages, is a joy to visit at that time of year with the trees in blossom and the tourists not yet descending en masse. But it is La Clarte itself that is the real pearl in the ocean. The house is superbly equipped for families and children, with a heated pool, tennis court, lovely garden (with all kinds of wildlife visiting) but also soft duvets, a heap of games and puzzles and cbeebies on hand for the down time. The kitchen is also wonderfully equipped - everythig has been thought through and the owners could not be more helpful. We have also had Christine cooking us some meals every year and that has been a real delight. It is a real treat to visit and I can see us returning year after year.

Recommended for:Age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Jim & Judy1 (USA)
Date of Stay: 12/21/09 Review Submitted: 12/21/09

We have had a wonderful vacation here at La Clarte. This property has all the ammenities of a 5 star hotel without the staff and without other guests (both are preferable to me!). We didn't know what to expect of Southern France in late November and we couldn't have been luckier! Sun every day. We swam and played tennis and boules. We took three beautiful walks in the hills and saw more beautiful views than I had imagined possible.

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Guest: wendy malhan (LEICESTER)
Date of Stay: 10/23/09 Review Submitted: 10/23/09

lovely comfortable house, great location for visiting the surrounding towns of provence. Good sized accomodation, lovely tennis court, pool and gardens. Great place for children, ours never wanted to go out they just wanted to stay in the villa and enjoy the countless dvds, outdoor facilities and games.

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Guest: rgjohnson1 (London)
Date of Stay: 05/06/07 Review Submitted: 05/06/07

Four of us (2 couples) stayed in La Clarte for a week in late April. The house is extremely comfortable - good beds, decent seating, modern bathrooms and an extremely well equipped kitchen. It is also an attractive & stylish renovation - it looks better than the photos.The garden & pool are lovely & we were lucky enough (thanks in part to the pool heating) to swim every day. It's in a great spot, private but not isolated. A 10 minute drive brings you to a gordes with all its shops & restaurants. We liked it so much we've booked to return next year.

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Guest: Craig Marshall (Dalgtey Bay, Fife)
Date of Stay: 09/22/06 Review Submitted: 09/22/06

We had an amazing time at this villa, only the first time we have stayed in the South of France however we were pleasantly surprised by the friendliness of the locals around the villages of the villa. Must try the local markets with wonderful fresh produce and some really nice jewellery stalls, and the fresh orange juice is just fantastic. We have left a few items in the Borie for your enjoyment when swimming in the huge pool. Craig, Suzie, Leah (11) and Amy (6)

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Guest: The Callaway and Medway families (London)
Date of Stay: 04/25/06 Review Submitted: 04/25/06

We enjoyed an idyllic fortnight in Provence staying in this superb accommodation. We cannot recommend it highly enough for location or facilities! It is even more beautiful than the photos on the website suggest, and our days 'at home' were as enjoyable as the many days out exploring the bountiful places of interest nearby and further afield. Plentiful puzzles, games and books for young and old (as well as a good quality and well-tuned piano - what a treat!); a swing set in the gorgeous garden; Sky TV for those unmissable episodes; and being in the south of France.....a truly wonderful holiday home.

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Guest: Mary Vibert ( Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada)
Date of Stay: 08/01/05 Review Submitted: 08/01/05

I just wanted to get off a quick e- mail to tell you how much we enjoyed our stay at your magnificent home. La Clarte is even more beautiful than the photos suggest; I would like to have champagne and orange juice on the balcony there every Mother's Day from now on ( Mother's Day was May 8th in Canada so we celebrated in France). Your home is so "kid friendly"as well which is wonderful. We will be telling all of our friends about it so there may be a Canadian invasion! We also really appreciated all the maps and info about the area. We definitely intend to visit again when Bella is a bit older and La Clarte will be our home away from home in France. Again, many thanks... Mary Vibert and Doug Brown

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Guest: Pierre BREESE (PARIS)
Date of Stay: 11/07/04 Review Submitted: 11/07/04

Si vous voulez passer quelques jours de détente dans le calme et la verdure, LA CLARTE est le lieu idéal, même par un temps un peu pluvieux de novembre. La piscine chauffée permet aux enfants et parents de profiter des éclaircies, et la cheminée et le piano de se reposer dans un cadre très confortable. Et les promenades à pied à partir de la maison, où dans la région (Roussillon, forêt de Cèdres, maquis autour de Sénanques, Murs ou Saint Panthaléon) raviront les amateurs de nature.

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Guest: Carol Scholar (Asheville North Carolina)
Date of Stay: 10/24/04 Review Submitted: 10/24/04

Everything about La Clarte is top notch! Beautiful house, gardens & spectacular views from the pool. It is the perfect country home & very private. We were there in mid Sept. and the weather was perfect & the tourists thinner. Gordes was a central spot to tour around. We visited Aix, Avignon, Bonnieux, Roussillon, Apt & Marseille. I would definitely go back to La Clarte!

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Guest: Carl Proujan (Spring Valley, NY, USA)
Date of Stay: 06/08/04 Review Submitted: 06/08/04

We (four of us)arrived at La Clarte on May 8, 2004 and it was exactly, and delightfully, as described; nestled in a quiet setting among the beautiful hills of the Luberon. The house is magnificent, blending in with the countryside on the outside and completely modern on the inside. The pool was warm even though the air was cool our first few days. No rain at all for two weeks! Gordes is a stone's throw away (so close that my daugther and son-in-law strolled into town one cool and sunny morning). We older folks made the drive in five minutes. Many, many wonderful sites are within a reasonable driving range...Avignon, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Arles, Orange, even Aix-en-Provence, the Pont du Gard, and the Mediterranean coast at Stes-Maries-de-la-Mer. If you are wine lovers, you can buy perfectly drinkable local wine at the shops in Gordes for only 3.50 euros. Fresh fruit, vegetables, and of course pastries and breads are also available in Gordes. You can get the International Herald Tribune at a little shop halfway down the street from the Post Office. There is also a small pharmacy in town and a number of restaurants. Beware: Food is generally served between noon and 2:00 p.m. and after 7:30 p.m. So stock up on snacks if you enjoy eating in between. To gas up your car, go to the service station on the D2 on the way to Coustellet. If you're a WWII buff, a visit to the Musee d'Histoire 1939-1945 in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse will be very rewarding as will the scenery of this town. I could continue until I filled a book. However, I won't try your patience. If you would like specific information, please call or contact me via email. -Carl Proujan

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Guest: Sandra and Dominique Janssens (London, England)
Date of Stay: 09/14/03 Review Submitted: 09/14/03

We stayed at La Clarte during the first two weeks of August 2003 with my parents and our almost 4 year old son. The house is stunning and very child friendly! There were many toys (puzzles, books, games, trains) and movies to keep him busy and entertained when we were not at the pool (where we had hours of fun!) or visiting the beautiful surroundings. The pool is enclosed so we didn't worry about our son walking around in the garden which even had a swing! It was such a wonderful and relaxing holiday for all of us that we decided to go back next year! We strongly recommend the house!

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Guest: Peter and Pia Janssens (Herent,Belgium)
Date of Stay: 08/20/03 Review Submitted: 08/20/03

We had a very enjoyable holiday at this wonderful and beautifully located house which we rented during the heatwave in the first half of August 2003 (yes, the house rather stayed cool inside). The house itself as well as the pool (what a view on the hills from the poolisde!) and the surroundigs are very well kept. The info book with tips from the owners and earlier guests, the well equipped kitchen, the toys,puzzles and books made us feel welcome and at home from the first minute.We strongly recommend it.

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Guest: Dom Neil-Dwyer (-)
Date of Stay: 08/20/03 Review Submitted: 08/20/03

What an incredibly picturesque and peaceful setting. A great base for a fun packed or lazy holiday. Great pool, and great views for a cheeky sundowner. Family, friends or just the two of you its the perfect getaway. The house felt luxurious and spacious extremely tastefully done out. It felt a shame to not spend more time inside. The garden was absolutely gorgeous. Restuarants in area were full of wonderful food. There are many local vineyards to vist. Walking. Golf Iif it sin't too hot). Eating cherries from the roadside! Really something for everyone. Its a must.

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Guest: Vincent LoLordo (Halifax, N.S., Canada)
Date of Stay: 08/14/03 Review Submitted: 08/14/03

We came to La Clarte from Nova Scotia and Minnesota for warm weather in early May, and the weather was perfect. After days walking in the hill towns a dip in the pool was refreshing. La Clarte's simple elegance, comfort and convenience made it one of the best places we have rented in many years of coming to France. The gardens blended so well with the natural landscape, and the peaceful setting added to our enjoyment. Finally, we appreciated the phone call from Robin (on our first day in the house) asking whether everything was satisfactory...it was indeed!

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Guest: Lois Gold and Richard Forester (Portland, Oregon)
Date of Stay: 08/07/03 Review Submitted: 08/07/03

La Clarte is a truly wonderful house... set in a beautiful garden, with a stunning (and heated) pool, a spacious,well- equiped Provencal country kitchen, very nice beds and bedrooms, a large open dining/living room, tons of info and guide books about the area(which we referred to endlessly,)and...the house stays nice and cool in the midday heat. Only 5k from Coustellet with its great Saturday market, bakery, traitture, organic grocery (yes you can get tofu in France) and a brand new bike rental shop which has very, very good quality bikes. We did a lot of bike riding on the small country roads and lanes even managing to avoid the big hills. This is a great house, in a great location with many interesting villages nearby. We would unreservedly recommend it.

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Guest: Diane & Rob Swinbourn (Sydney, Australia)
Date of Stay: 05/28/03 Review Submitted: 05/27/03

La Clarte could not have been a better choice for our recent holiday in Provence. We booked it for four adults but when our friends were unable to travel at the last minute we found ourselves in Provence alone. But this didn't matter at all. La Clarte is certainly big enough for a group, the rooms are generous and the living area is open planned, but it is still warm and cosy. Moreover it is only 5 minutes drive to the beautiful Luberon village, Gordes. Being near Gordes was our main priority having discovered this wonderful part of Provence several years ago. We plan to return to this part of France again, and hopefully to stay - with friends or family this time - at La Clarte.Every ammenity is provided, and the house is quite lovely, the setting even more gorgeous. Moreover, Robin and Caroline could not have been more helpful hosts.

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Guest: David & Janet Allan (Newcastle upon Tyne)
Date of Stay: 05/15/03 Review Submitted: 05/15/03

We spent an idyllic 2 weeks relaxing in Robin & Caroline`s lovely villa this Easter and cannot commend it too highly. A beautiful location, not too far away from it all (to allow a daily "bakery run" to nearby Coustellet [5 kms]), but secluded enough to make you feel totally at peace. The house has been carefully renovated with a sympathetic, simple yet elegant approach and the furniture and bedding are all new and very comfortable.The kitchen is particularly well equipped for cooking the wonderful produce from the (many and varied) markets nearby. Our children loved both the warm pool and the luxury of Sky TV. The heating for the pool (and electrically heated radiators) worked particularly well and didn`t give us a nasty shock when the cost was totted up at the end of our 2 weeks ...pretty much as estimated by Robin beforehand. In all, the best villa we have stayed in in about 10 years of vacations in France. We`ll certainly hope to return (assuming it is still available after all the glowing reviews it is sure to receive!) Thank you Robin and Caroline.

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Guest: David & Claudia St John
Date of Stay: 10/05/02 Review Submitted: 10/04/02

You can't beat La Clarte for peace and serenity - - even two and a half year old Charles could not upset the delicate perfection (feng shui?) brought on by the gardens, the old stones, olive trees and, of course, the swimming pool overlooking the valley. Their cacophony that seems to bounce off the walls at home is somehow absorbed and softened by the lovely surroundings here - - providing welcome relief for their stressed parents! We had a great time just hanging out and relaxing. But we also found plenty of time to explore the local markets and villages. Roussillon was our very favourite, and we highly recommend a walk through the town and the nearby ochre canyons. All-in-all, a great week - hope to come back some day!

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Guest: Alison & David Osborne
Date of Stay: 08/30/02 Review Submitted: 08/29/02

Our first visit to Provence! We enjoyed our stay here very much. Brilliant markets - great bargains especially Coustellet on Sundays. Fantastic walks ranging from a 3/4 hour picturesque walk to Gordes to a 5 hour expedition through the Bois d'Audibert and down into the Veroncle gorge. The latter being so much enjoyed (in particular the climbing up and down chain ladders) that the children wanted to go again next day!. The pool is such a luxury and great for relaxing and playing in. We hope that many more visitors will enjoy this great house in such a wonderful location as much as we have.

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Guest: Kevan and Nicola Dickinson
Date of Stay: 08/01/02 Review Submitted: 07/31/02

Wow, what a fabulous place and beautiful location! We'll take home memories of a wonderful few days.....swims before breakfast and illuminated lengths at night - not to mention the hours of fun the children had in the water. Loved all your olive trees and lavender. Enjoy your visits to La Clarte - it's a real gem

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