Vacation Rentals by Owner

Wonderful Gite

Guest: Jeri (Vancouver, BC)
Date of Stay: 10/21/11 Review Submitted: 11/06/11

Myself and three friends stayed at this wonderful gite in Provence for eight days in October, 2011. The property lived up to our expectations. It is quite lovely and very well equipped. Betty is a delightful host with lots of good information of places to visit while in the Luberon. I will certainly recommend the gite to any friends or family planning a holiday in the south of France. I hope to be able to return someday. Jeri

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, sightseeing.

Perfect

Guest: Sheila (Sacramento, CA USA)
Date of Stay: 09/17/11 Review Submitted: 10/05/11

What else can we say about our stay? We had a fantastic time and the house was beautiful, Betty, the owner, was wonderful, and we can't wait until we can come back. Betty had great advice about towns to visit, made reservations for us at two incredible local restaurants, and was an all around great hostess. The house has everything you could need for a vacation stay and is located in a good area for exploring. Merci, Betty, et à bientôt!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

THE BEST GITE IN PROVENCE

Guest: ALFY (Maggie Valley, North Carolina USA)
Date of Stay: 05/21/11 Review Submitted: 06/10/11

This was an easy experience for first time users of VRBO. This was a wonderfully appointed “gite” we made some great new acquaintances. Both Jean-Yves & Betty were great fun, informative and helpful. We enjoyed our time tremendously and hope to come back. The Gite was a great renovation job done by Jean-Ives our hats go off to you. Betty you have great taste! Beautiful views, great walks and tours to other towns very convenient. All that you might need was there. We toured during the day. Cooked in the eve. Played Petanque (boule) with neighbors. Thanks for the wonderful memories. Let’s keep in touch. I will refer other friends to you both. Excellent job.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with young children, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

A wonderful stay in the most beautiful area of Provence

Guest: Sib (Germany)
Date of Stay: 09/18/10 Review Submitted: 10/21/10

We were staying in this lovely renovated cottage for 10 days and enjoyed it that much. You start feeling the relaxing atmosphere of this place right away when you enter the driveway. Living in the nature with all comfort, that you can wish. With the excellent comfort goes the elegant and warm interieur, which was created by Betty who is a remarkable host. We did not only enjoy her marvelous cookies for welcome, but as well her great recommendation on restaurants near by. Thanks for this great time. I am sure we will come back.

Recommended for:Romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Lovely Setting in the Luberon

Guest: Brent (USA)
Date of Stay: 06/26/10 Review Submitted: 08/08/10

My family and I enjoyed our June/July visit to the south of France. This lovely gite was our home base as we explored the Provence region of France. It was a peaceful retreat after our day of sightseeing. The gite provided all of the comforts of home. Great detail has been taken by the owners in restoring this livable piece of history. The surrounding towns are beautiful and definitely worth exploring! Brent and family

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with young children, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

Perfect Perfect Perfect

Guest: ParkerT (Novato, California)
Date of Stay: 05/22/10 Review Submitted: 06/12/10

We have been going to this area in Provence since 1998. We have stayed in several properties (usually listed on VRBO), but, I must say, this may be the most perfect little gite in the Luberon! The house has been beautifully renovated, keeping the character and charm of its roots while having beautiful new amenities. The materials are high quality - beautiful stone and tile in the bathrooms and kitchen. And then there is Betty! A perfect hostess, she is unobtrusive while being friendly and insuring we had everything we needed, suggesting things to do and see near by, including a lovely little restaurant in "downtown" Buoux. This will most definitely be a repeat property for us!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Spring Break - A Family Affair

Guest: Steph & Chad (Austin, Texas - USA)
Date of Stay: 03/13/10 Review Submitted: 05/28/10

Our family of four (including small boys, ages 6 and 3) spent Spring Break at the gite in mid-March. We had travelled to Provence a few times before, but the Buoux area was a first for us and perhaps the most memorable. Betty and Jean Yves are most generous and gracious hosts, sharing not only their property but their time and knowledge of the area (as well as their pets, as our sons were thrilled to discover). The gite was very comfortable for two adults and two small children and has every modern comfort. Traveling with children meant shopping locally and cooking at home most times, and the kitchen was more than well equipped. The location is situated ideally, with easy access to all the hill towns, but some of our best memories are of wandering the gite’s property itself, the adjacent goat farm (fromage!) and nearby ancient chapel. Morning walks with the dogs and making moss fairy houses with the kids in the woods nearby provided a nice balance to the sightseeing days and are Buoux memories we’ll cherish forever. We plan to return!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Guest: Jocelyn Siler (Missoula, Montana, U.S.A.)
Date of Stay: 01/28/10 Review Submitted: 01/28/10

We had perhaps the most memorable experience of our well-traveled lives in Buoux with the Hutton-Poublans. The gite is elegant, beautifully appointed, and imaginatively restored--a five star experience at a truly bargain price! The views from the gite and our walks were spectacular, the surrounding countryside is dotted with glorious walled hill-top villages, lavendar farms, and vineyards. Betty and Jean Yves were astonishingly hospitable. We got snowed in (Betty had warned us when we booked that it might happen), and being snowed in only added to the fabulousness of our experience. Betty and Jean Yves invited us for raclette at their remarkable farm house, lent us their car for a night out because we didn't have chains on our car, and arranged for us to meet a fascinating couple from the village. We've already made our return reservations! Thank you so much Betty and Jean Yves; you are lovely, lovely people.

Recommended for:

Guest: David Zebelman (-)
Date of Stay: 11/08/09 Review Submitted: 11/08/09

My wife and I had a wonderful time. Being an English speaker, I enjoyed Betty's company. It kept me from being isolated. She is a wonderful host. We had many nice discussions. My wife is French speaking and very much into French culture. She just loves the Luberon. She can not wait to come back. Take the time to meet and talk to Jean-Yves, Betty's husband. You will be amazed by his talents. The two hosts have created a wonderful house to stay in whle you explore the area. I strongly recommend staying here. You will feel that you have made friends with the owners.

Recommended for:

Guest: Mike O. (California)
Date of Stay: 10/19/09 Review Submitted: 10/19/09

We just completed 2 terrific weeks staying in this tranquil and well restored gite. Betty and Jean-Yves were outstanding hosts, and everything said by previous guests says it all. The gite is peaceful and quiet, yet very close to so many wonderful villages, market days and restaurants. We usually ate breakfast and dinner in (the kitchen had everything we needed) and lunch out. We were so sorry to leave and can't wait to come back!

Recommended for:

Guest: Noreen E. (Naples, Florida USA)
Date of Stay: 07/14/09 Review Submitted: 07/14/09

My husband and I were ecstatic to find this little cottage in Buoux, which became our home for two weeks in June 2009. The first person we met on arrival was 'Betty' the owner of this property, walking up the driveway to greet us with her warm radiant smile! She gave us a tour of the cottage and supplied us with lots of brochures and maps of the area as well as a list of some nice restaurants in the surrounding area. This little stone cottage which is over 200 hundred years old, was hard to believe it was that old from the inside. Betty and Jean Yves9Betty's husband) had done a wonderful job of gutting the property to the bare bones and bringing it into the millenium with all the latest modcons ie: flat screen TV, wireless internet, electric kettle, comfortable beds (2) and couches, nice sized bathrooms (2) with great water pressure, plenty of linens and towels, washing machine, dishwasher and every attention to all kitchen gadget needs. It is tastefully decorated with white limestone and hemp walls, and was clean, bright and spacious. It is a 10 minute drive to Apt (nearest town) for groceries, shopping great restaurants and marketplaces. Right at your door step you will find numerous hiking trails, rock climbing and biking. If your are looking for serenity or for the artist you will encounter unbelievable views to absorb, chill or sketch. It has got to be the most picturesque place we have ever visited, with sweeping mountaineous landscapes of fields filled with lavender, sunflowers, wheat and apple and cherry orchards as far as the eye can see. This cottage location in Buoux and Apt the closest town has got to be central spot to take you in whichever diriection you choose to hit the highlighted tourist attractions or just discover Provence in its natural beauty. A great reception, comfortable home inside and out and homemade cookies from Betty, ah, can't wait to come back. Thank you Betty and Jean Yves.

Recommended for:

A hidden secret in the heart of Provence

Guest: Noreen E. (Naples, Florida USA)
Date of Stay: 06/27/09 Review Submitted: 07/14/09

Both my husband and I, having spent two nights in Avignon, made our way to Buoux following the very clear road directions emailed to us by 'Betty' (the owner of the Gite) prior to our departure from the US. Just before we got to the town of Apt, we made a right turn for Buoux and within 10 minutes we had found our way into the driveway of this pretty self contained cottage- our home for the next two weeks. Of course, even before the car ignition was off in our car, Betty was already in the driveway to greet us with her radiant smile and welcoming us to Buoux. As Betty gave us the tour of the cottage which was on the same grounds as her home we marvelled at how perfect it was for us. Besides the magnificent mountainous views surrounding the properties, we soon felt right at home seeing the interior of this clean, modern, bright, spacious,tastefully decorated - with great attention to detail cottage. Although, this cottage was over 200 years old with a stone exterior and interior of limestone and hemp walls (which Jean Yves, Betty's husband had basically built out from the old style from floor to ceiling), it was hard to know it was that old.. We were even provided with wireless internet which kept us connected with family in our absence from home. During the course of our stay, Betty asked us several times if there was anything we needed to make our stay more comfortable. Truthfully, there was nothing as she had provided all our creature comforts. There were extra linens, towels, soap etc. She gave us a list of the local restaurants-which we entertained and although each had their own style of cooking we savored each morsel of food and maps of local area attractions. There was countless attractions for us to view right at our doorstep. Fort Buoux, Bonnieux, Saignon, Venages, Montoux and Fontaine De Vacluse were some of our favorite places and of which we returned to at least twice. Each morning we woke up to bright sunny skies and to the aroma of lavender. The rolling hills of lavender, sunflowers, and apple and cherry orchards enveloped us and to top all that was the view of six thousand plus high Mount Ventoux-the white limestone mountain. This little piece of heaven is right in the heart of Provence and where you will find serentiy, endless hiking paths, rock climbing, grottoes, breath taking landscape views, a warm welcome and if your lucky some yummy cookies to munch on, skillfully made by Betty! Thank you Betty and Jean Yves 'til we meet again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers

Guest: jacqueline 1 (Sydney, Australia)
Date of Stay: 06/26/09 Review Submitted: 06/26/09

We arrived in Provence in March 2009 and discovered the magnificent region of Buoux. We stayed in this charming gite for a week and at the end of our stay were very sad to leave this lovely area and our new friends and hosts, Betty and Jean-Yves. The gite is newly renovated, absolutely beautiful and immaculately looked after. We were pleasantly surprised to find food for dinner in the cupboards and refrigerator, which was greatly appreciated by our small children who had spent a long day traveling. Not to mention the great coffee machine which was much more than we could have expected. Over the week we explored many medieval towns, the local Buoux fort and the surrounding countryside. The gite is perfectly located to many historic and beautiful sites. Our children had a lovely time walking with Betty, hearing about her life in Buoux and telling her about things in Australia. We were very sad to leave our new friends and the beautiful town of Buoux and hopefully will be able to visit again soon. Jacqui and Andrew, Sydney, Australia.

Recommended for:

Guest: Gillian and John (Melbourne, Australia)
Date of Stay: 06/24/09 Review Submitted: 06/24/09

Here you stay in comfort (underfloor heating for your morning shower),in tranquil, beautiful natural surroundings, but close to the famous perched villages of Bonnieux and Saignon and the market town of Apt. The whole area is lovely and one couldn't ask for nicer hosts than Betty and Jean-Yves.

Recommended for:

Guest: Dan, Tina and Julia (Brookline, MA USA)
Date of Stay: 05/01/09 Review Submitted: 05/01/09

The previous entries in this guestbook are spot-on. Everything is in like-new condition, beautifully decorated and very comfortable. The location is peaceful and well-situated for exploring the sights of the Luberon. And Betty is very friendly and helpful. We'll be back next year!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 02/01/09 Review Submitted: 02/15/09

This is where you want to stay on your trip to Provence! The gite is perfectly restored and more than comfortable by today's standards. Plenty of room, comfy beds and seating. The setting is magnificient. What a perfect place for your home base in the Luberon. Close to many villages and markets. Betty is the perfect hostess with wonderful knowledge about the area. This is a Must Stop. We can't wait to return.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 10/01/08 Review Submitted: 10/27/08

Lo jas dei Barrulaires won't disappoint. The house is beautiful, extremely well equipped and very comfortable. Added to that is a fantastic setting in tranquil provencal woodland, yet within easy reach of villages and towns for resources. We had a wonderful time - and it was October. Spring or summer would be marvellous.

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Anonymous
Date of Stay: 10/01/08 Review Submitted: 10/11/08

Absolutely fabulous gite! Perfectly restored. Just a stone's throw from many quaint village towns in the Luberon! We will come back! Thanks Betty!

Recommended for:

Guestbook Comment

Guest: Jean-Louis L. (Oregon City, OR, USA)
Date of Stay: 09/01/08 Review Submitted: 09/22/08

Buoux is wonderful, both lost in the Provence of Giono, and yet at the very heart of Luberon with equal distances to Bonnieux, Lourmarin, Saignon,and Apt. Very quiet and calm, with magic lightings I have never seen anywhere else. Here, one feels part of the land and "terroir", not just a running tourist. The gite is a perfect, with fabulous lime and hemp traditional stuccos, and sooooo comfortable bedding and linens.

Recommended for: