We loved the Barrulaires Gite! It’s a meticulously restored stone farmhouse cottage atop a small mountain in the Luberon a few miles from Apt. The property features a lovely view, and the cottage itself has wonderful décor coupled with all the up-to-date conveniences one would hope for. The owner – the irrepressible Betty – greeted us in the driveway with a flashlight at 10:30 pm when we arrived very owing to an Air France strike. She provided sage advice throughout our stay as to local attractions, stores and farmers’ markets, restaurants, etc.
Some might find the location a bit remote, but we enjoyed the solitude and privacy and did not mind the short drive into town for provisions or restaurants. Many of the major sites of the region are less than an hour’s drive. Apt itself is filled good restaurants, bakeries, grocery stores, wine shops etc. It’s a lovely jog or walk from the gite down the mountain into the picturesque village of Buoux. Nearby Fort Buoux is definitely worth a half-day visit and the climb to the top is exhilarating. Our only problem was a bit of difficulty with intermittent internet service during our week in September, but we understand Betty has since fixed the problem. [She is a U.S. expatriate married to a Frenchman, and she used her bilingual abilities to help us with dinner reservations]. Too many great restaurants in the area to mention, but it’s hard to go wrong.