Located at the top of the village, across the street from an 11th Century chateau and tower of the Knights Templar, our house was probably originally a dependency of that chateau. Open the blue wooden gate to enter another world -- an enclosed courtyard with flowers, herbs, vine-covered walls, an olive tree, a lilac bush, and roses, where you can enjoy meals on the flagstone terrace while the fountain gurgles nearby.

The living room, dining room and kitchen are on the first floor; the second floor has three double bedrooms (two with twin beds and one with a queen-size bed), a study (with a bed) and two full bathrooms. Bedrooms have closets or armoires for storage. All rooms have independent access from the second floor hall and all are on the courtyard, secluded from the street, except the study and the two bathrooms. There's also a rooftop terrace with views of the surrounding vineyards and mountains where you can enjoy drinks before dinner while swallows cross the sky. Easy parking on the street.

St. Roman-de-Malegarde lies peacefully off the main track but can be reached from airports in Marseille (one hour and a half), Nice (less than three hours) and Lyon (about two hours and a half). It also can be reached from Paris by car (about 670 kilometers) or by fast train (TGV) from Paris to Avignon, which is about an hour from St. Roman.

We have a café-restaurant (with postal service). Most shopping can be done in Tulette, 5 minutes away by car. Tulette has a medium-size market with a butcher, a high-end butcher shop with prepared food, two cafés, several restaurants, two excellent boulangeries-patisseries, a new municipal swimming pool, and a lively street market on Mondays. There's also a lovely market on Saturdays in Ste. Cécile les Vignes, only 15 minutes away.

Vaison-la-Romaine (so called because of its extensively excavated Roman ruins) has two supermarkets, lots of cafés and restaurants, bookstores, gift shops, and wine shops. Be sure not to miss its Tuesday market – one of Provence's most beautiful. You will also enjoy crossing the river on the Roman bridge and climbing up to the charmingly restored medieval town.

We are also well positioned for excursions to such historic sites as Les Baux, Aix-en-Provence; Avignon (Papal Palace and museums); l'Ile sur la Sorgue (the Mecca for antique lovers); St. Rémy, Arles, and Nimes (for Roman ruins). Orange's spectacular Roman arch and theater are just 20 minutes. Mont Ventoux (the highest mountain in Provence) and the stunning Dentelles de Montmirail are also nearby for climbing and hiking.

We are close to many well-known Rhone wine villages, including Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Cairanne, Vacqueyras, Rasteau, Vinsobres, and Beaumes-de-Venise. Family-owned and operated vineyards are everywhere and welcome visitors for free tastings.

You'll rediscover taste in the fresh and locally grown fruit and vegetables that are available in profusion in the many village markets nearby. Strawberries, raspberries, cherries, apricots, peaches, melons, apples and figs all take their turn in season, as do such vegetables as heirloom tomatoes, squash, lettuce, fennel, exotic onions and garlic, along with artisanal cheeses that are not available in the U.S.

In Nyons, 20 minutes away, you can visit an olive oil mill, a lavender distillery, and a vinaigrerie that makes and sells extraordinary vinegars.

The region has many excellent restaurants at all price levels. There are scenic drives, museums, chateaux, and other points of interest. The red and green Michelin guides will give details. We also keep a notebook in the house with pertinent information about the house, shopping, scenic drives, restaurants, and chateaux and other historic sites to visit, etc.

The house has comfortable furniture, lovely fabrics and attractive details, throughout. It is also supplied with linens, blankets, cutlery, cooking utensils, and china. It has two telephones, a television (that receives international channels like BBC World, CNBC, CNN and Bloomberg as well as the standard French channels), a CD/cassette player, and broadband Internet access. It is equipped with electric radiators in each room, a fireplace between the living and dining rooms, a hybrid (gas/electric) stove, a refrigerator-freezer, and a clothes washer and dryer


Keywords: Restored house, walled garden, roof top terrace with sweeping views