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La Jauberte is a splendidly restored Provence farmhouse, balanced on the rim of a mountain between earth and sky, surrounded by lavender fields, charming medieval villages, and rolling green hills.
There are 18 acres of gardens, fields and woods to explore and it is utterly, blissfully peaceful. The pool is set discretely to one side so it doesn't disturb the views, which are quite wonderful: from the Montagne de Lure to the Luberon mountain, to the nearby medieval village of Viens. Below, in a historic and protected valley, relics of the Roman Empire lie waiting to be explored.
The picturesque hill-top villages of Viens, Caseneuve and Cereste are close by, and the thriving market town of Apt is 10 miles away. La Jauberte is an ideal base for exploring the fascinating Luberon region of Provence, and beyond.
The house is 17th century and full of charm at every turn - time-worn stone floors, beamed ceilings, antique furniture - but also very comfortable, with modern appliances like high-speed internet, satellite TV, high-quality mattresses, and a chef's kitchen. There are 4 bedrooms sleeping 8, although one is a walkthrough bedroom so 6 adults and 2 children is a better configuration.
The gardens are arranged over different levels and are lovingly designed and planted - waves of vegetation give year-round interest, and you are encouraged to cut your own flowers for bouquets. Some of the scents you’ll experience as you take a turn on a summer’s evening: rosemary, lavender, santolina, wild thyme, artemisias and over 50 roses.
There are several outside spots for eating and relaxing as the mood takes you: a balcony off the living room, a vine-shaded terrace below, various garden levels and trees to set out a table and chairs amid the glorious sights and scents, and generally live the good life.
And you can feel especially good about your time spent at La Jauberte because every penny the owners make from this house goes to UNICEF, the international fund for children.
This is the Luberon that the tour buses don't frequent and it is unspoilt and ravishing. The rolling hills may remind you of Tuscany, the fields of lavender tell you this is the rich heart of Provence, where you can visit the local markets every day for the best produce in France.
...THE LAYOUT OF THE HOUSE...
The layout of the house has not changed in 400 years, which makes it a cultural experience in itself.. There are three floors. At the top is the master bedroom with king-size bed and en suite bathroom. This is reached through another bedroom with a double bed.
The middle floor has a living room, a very well-equipped kitchen and dining room. The living room opens onto the balcony with table and chairs and a great view along the valley towards the sunset.
On the garden level are two bedrooms, a twin and a double, and a bathroom. Both rooms open onto the garden terrace, which is shaded overhead with vines, and enjoys the same views to the west.
There is a small inner courtyard with BBQ where meals can be taken, or table and chairs can be set out on the top garden which looks over to the hill-top village of Viens, framed against the Provence hills.
La Jauberte is next to, but totally separate from, the owners' house. The owners spend part of the year there and speak English and French so can help with any queries or problems you may encounter. On the other hand you needn't see them at all for the length of your stay - it's entirely up to you. Similarly, the pool is considered yours and the owners may use it when you are not doing so.
...WHAT TO SEE AND DO...
Some guests don't leave La Jauberte at all during their stay - they find the gardens and the pool offer everything they need to enjoy Provence. You don't have to go anywhere to find wonderful views of breathtaking countryside, or fields of lavender, or olive trees etched against the blue sky - they are all right here.
Other people use La Jauberte as a base and are out all day exploring. Some of the things they see and do are:
• Hiking in the beautiful hills all around, which is the countryside written about by the famous French writer Jean Giono
• Shopping at the local village markets for the day's food, including the big one in Apt on Saturdays
• Touring all the picture-postcard Luberon hill-top villages like Viens, Cereste, and Caseneuve, or on the other side of Apt the more touristy ones of Gordes, Menerbes and Bonnieux, which Peter Mayle wrote about in his book ‘A Year in Provence’
• The spectacular canyons of the Gorges d'Oppedette and the larger Gorges du Verdon
• Banon and it famous cheeses
• The lavender festival at Sault
• Antique and bric-a-brac hunting at Isle-sur-Sorgue, the antiques capital of France
• An endless number of walks in the 120,000 ha Luberon Natural Park
• Wine-tasting (and buying) at the local vineyards
• The Marquis de Sade's castle at Lacoste
• Day-trips to: Avignon, Arles, Aix-en-Provence, St Remy, Nimes, the Camargue, the Rhone wine trail, Marseille, St Tropez, Cannes, Monte Carlo and the rest of the Cote d’Azur, Italy and the Alps.
This is a year-round destination - the Luberon in winter is as beautiful in its way as during the long summer that can stretch from May to October. As Peter Mayle discovered, in the off-season the Luberon is all yours - there will not be crowds, but there will be truffles and fabulous dinners.
And in every month there are days when it is warm enough to eat outside in the Provencal sun. When it is cold, you will appreciate the large fireplace and insulated walls, the mist hanging in the valley below, or even the whole wonderful scene topped with snow.
La Jauberte is about 80 minutes from Marseille international airport, and an hour from the TGV station at Avignon. |
