House at Top of Menerbes with Stunning Views of the Luberon
About the property
- House807 sq. ft.
- Bedrooms2
- Sleeps4
- Bathrooms2
- Half Baths0
- Minimum Stay0 - 7 nights
House, 2 Bedrooms, 2 Baths, (Sleeps 4)
Name of House: 'Menerbes Two'
Menerbes was the village that inspired Peter Mayle to write ‘A Year in Provence’ - it is one of the select group of hill-top villages in the Luberon National Park and officially one of the Most Beautiful Villages in France.
The whole point of the house is the view of the mountain opposite and the valley below - it is beautiful, and one never tires of it. I maximised the view by adding and enlarging windows in every room so that now the mountain is always framed in a slightly different way wherever you are in the house. The house seems to hang above the valley.
The house was made up of five rooms in a row, all facing south to the mountain. Due to curiosities of construction and the angle of the road, there is also a downstairs part on the right hand side of the house. This houses the second bedroom, which has twin beds that can be brought together to form a large double. This room has an en-suite bathroom with bath and overhead shower, WC and basin.
Now getting back to the five rooms upstairs: I decided to open out the house to make the most of the light. So I knocked an opening between each room and put in arches - you can see this effect in the pictures. The rooms are, from left to right - living room with outside loggia; dining room and kitchen; entrance hall and stairs down to the guest room and laundry; dressing area and wardrobe with daybed; main bedroom; and bathroom. Because of the angle of the road each room is on a slightly higher level than the previous one, which is a charming effect.
The main bedroom does not have a door, it has a large screen to split it off from the rest of the house: this offers privacy, but obviously not as much as a locked door. I never found this a problem when friends came to stay. It does give you complete privacy from the other bedroom, because this is on a lower level which does have doors. The main bedroom has a double bed and the bathroom has a lovely walk-in shower with a large shower rose, WC and basin.
The house can accommodate four people - two in each bedroom, each with its own bathroom.
There is satellite TV with CNN, BBC News and CNBC and DVD player with library of movies. And WiFi internet throughout.
It should be noted that the fireplace should not be used when the wind is blowing, as the smoke comes back down the chimney.
The house is in a narrow road at the very highest point of the village. The street leads nowhere, so it is very quiet. The shops, restaurants and bar of the village are a 2-minute stroll away.
There is a dossier at the house explaining how everything works and listing good places to eat, things to see, etc. There is also a small library of books about Provence, including the best up-to-date guidebooks.
Menerbes is the heart of one of the enchanted corners of this world. Everything you read about in ‘A Year in Provence’ is here - the lavender-scented landscapes; daily markets overflowing with local produce that actually tastes of something; quirky customs; hilltop villages rising above the sea of vineyards and sunflowers; outstanding food and wine; and the sensational quality of light that has always brought painters and poets here. In Provence, everything simply tastes, smells, and looks better than at home. And it’s all right on your doorstep.
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. High above the cares of the world, the house is perfect for a romantic couple (or two) - whether inspired by the ever-changing light or comforted by a roaring log fire. Everything is included in the price of the rental - central heating, electricity, towels, bed linen, logs for the fire, weekly clean.
There are far too many things to do in the Luberon to mention them here, as well as day-trips to Cannes, Monte Carlo, Arles, Aix, the Camargue, Italy, Spain, the Alps, etc.
The price of the rental includes all utilities (gas, electricity, central heating), local phone calls, WiFi, towels, bedlinen, visitor tax, after-stay clean, and a complimentary weekly clean for stays of more than one week.
Keywords: Village House, Menerbes
Owner
Owner
- Response rate:
- 100%
- Response time:
- within a few hours
- Speaks:
- english
- Calendar last updated:
- Apr 22, 2018
About Owner
We are mainly British, we live and work in Oppede, which is 10 minutes from Menerbes where the house is situated.
Owner purchased this House in 1997
Why Owner chose Ménerbes
It was sitting there at the top of Menerbes with the best views in the village but hardly any windows to see them from. It was the village notary's office so views were not important. In renovating I added big windows everywhere and made it into a home.
What makes this House unique
The view! And being in a wonderful village with all amenities, but tucked away at the top so it is quiet and inspiring
Amenities
- Internet
- Heater
- Fireplace
- Satellite or Cable
- Washer & Dryer
- TV
- No Smoking
Bedrooms
- 2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 4
- Queen size Beds (1), Twin or Single Beds (2) These can also be made into 1 King size double bed.
Bathrooms
- 2 Bathrooms
Location Type
- Mountain ViewFantastic view of the mountain and vineyards
- Rural
- Village
Theme
- Away From It All
- Historic
- Romantic
- Tourist Attractions
Meals
- Guests provide their own meals
General
- Linens ProvidedFor stays over a week linens and towels are changed every week with the complimentary clean.
- Clothes Dryer
- Hair Dryer
- Heating
- Internet
- Iron & Board
- Fireplace
- Living Room
- Telephone
- Towels Provided
- Washing Machine
- Wireless InternetFree, bring a WiFi-enabled laptop.
- Wood Fireplace
Kitchen
- Coffee Maker
- Cooking Utensils
- Dishes & Utensils
- Dishwasher
- Kitchen
- Microwave
- Oven
- Refrigerator
- Stove
- Toaster
Dining
- Dining Area
Entertainment
- Books
- CD Player
- DVD Player
- Satellite / Cable
- Stereo
- Television
- VCR
- Video Library
Outside
- Balcony
Attractions
- churches
- health/beauty spa
- library
- live theater
- museums
- playground
- restaurants
- ruins
- winery tours
Leisure Activities
- antiquing
- bird watching
- horseback riding
- scenic drives
- shopping
- sight seeing
- walking
- wildlife viewing
Local Services & Businesses
- ATM/bank
- fitness center
- groceries
- medical services
Sports & Adventure Activities
- cycling
- freshwater fishing
- golf
- hiking
- hot air ballooning
- kayaking
- mountain biking
- rock climbing
- swimming
- tennis
Notes
- Towels provided, Washing Machine & Tumble Dryer, Ironing, Guidebooks, Central Heating and all utilities inclusive, Children's Cot/Playpen, complimentary clean every Saturday
House Rules
Check-in: 4:00 PM
Check-out: 10:00 AM
Cancellation Policy
Canceled bookings will not receive a refund
13 Reviews
Latest reviews
Excellent apartment in menerbes
We would highly recommend this lovely apartment in menerbes with beautiful views.
Roomy well appointed apartment with stunning views
We had a great time at Paolo's apartment. It is actually a bit roomier than it appears in the pictures, but is otherwise just as advertised. We had a problem with the washing machine, but Paolo was extremely responsive. The apartment was quiet. We generally parked at the public parking down the hill, and walked up. Next time we will try negotiating the narrow streets to see if we can park closer. The location is perfect. We enjoyed getting sandwiches at the little bakery around the corner, and we ate on the patio of the Café du Progres and at three or four other restaurants in town. We drove to Arles, the Calanques, Pont du Gard, and numerous other hill towns. A pretty perfect stay.
Awesome!!
Loved our stay Paolo's house. We were two couples and the house is gorgeous and in a great location for exploring the area. I would highly recommend staying here. The property is very clean and Paolo was quick to answer questions while we were there and even left us a bottle of wine for our arrival. Spectacular!!
Magnificent Menerbes 2
When you stay at Menerbes 2, you are in for a magnificent treat. From the moment you enter Paolo's home, you realize immediately that this is a very special place. The interior is tastefully decorated, the rooms are all spacious, and the views overlooking the valley are simply breathtaking.
Every morning we bought freshly baked croissants in the village and then had our coffee and breakfast sitting out on the loggia watching and listening to the countryside below awaken. Our evenings were also special having our dinner, sometimes on the loggia, and other evenings in the dining area, each with their own special outlook.
The village of Menerbes is extremely quaint and centrally located in Provence to within easy reach of other villages, towns, and visitor attractions. Make sure when you first arrive that you read Paolo's guest book and you'll be amazed at all the helpful suggestions made by other guests of places to visit and restaurants to try. It is by far the most informative guest book that we have ever seen! And the comments all echo the great time we experienced staying in Menerbes 2.
Paolo, we hope to return one day soon to Magnificent Menerbes. Merci beaucoup.
Wonderful
My husband and I spent two glorious weeks in Paolo's beautiful house, and loved every minute.
The house was itself was immaculate and well-stocked, the bed was comfortable, and the large living spaces flowed out to the little patio where we spent many happy hours drinking local wine, soaking up the setting sun and admiring the stunning view.
The village is lovely, and provides a perfect base for exploring the Luberon and beyond. The local people were warm and welcoming, the restaurants were good and the weekly market was charming - much less commercialised than some of the ones we visited in the bigger surrounding towns.
While we didn't meet Paolo in person it was obvious that he is a very experienced, caring host. All of his communication with us from the time of the original booking was very clear and cordial. His directions and access arrangements were meticulous and easy to follow, and he responded immediately to the couple of enquiries we made while staying in the house.
We loved the house and the area, and can highly recommend both to anyone who is looking for a fabulous holiday in the south of France.
An exquisite retreat!
My daughter and I spent a blissful week at Paolo's beautiful flat in Menèrbes. It is the perfect launching spot from which to explore Provence. The apartment is gorgeous with all the amenities one could wish for, the views stunning and the town lovely, tranquil and central to many sights.
We particularly enjoyed visiting the nearby Abbaye de Senanque (arriving early when it is peaceful and the sun is illuminating the lavender), Isle sur la Sorgue ( the Sunday market, Paddling from Fontaine de Vaucluse to Isle sur la Sorgue, Eating at Le Jardin du Quai!), the drive from Mur to Venasque (stunning and so fun to drive!) and hiking the Gorges du Verdon (takes about 5 hours from Le Chalet de Maline to Point Sublime - highly recommended!). Most memorable meal was Le Mas de Tourteron in Les Imberts - very expensive but magical to have such a high end meal in that gorgeous garden setting, and was fun to track down the winery that produced the lovely wine we had the next day - an organic winery that has been in the same family for generations - Chateau La Canorgue.
In summary, it was a perfect holiday - I would highly recommend it and hope to come back!
Location
Wine Tasting & Buying
Rates & Availability
Additional information about rental rates
Included in the rental rates: bedlinen, towels, utilities, central heating, satellite TV, WiFi internet, local calls, visitor tax, and after-stay clean. For stays over a week there is a complimentary weekly clean and change of bedlinen and towels.