'Les Olivettes', is a spacious Provençal farmhouse located just 700 yards from the centre of Lourmarin, widely considered one of France's loveliest villages. This elegant, comfortable house offers a peaceful, rural base for touring Provence and is uniquely well-placed for exploring this wonderful region. Our guests, many of whom come back year after year, love the atmosphere, and the local knowledge and advice that we provide.
Les Olivettes has spectacular village and mountain views, and yet is only a five minute walk from the many shops, restaurants, galleries, and cafés that help make Lourmarin one of the most sought-after destinations in Provence.
For many years this house belonged to a wealthy Parisian surgeon who used it as his country retreat. We restored it with the help of a professional interior and it has a warm and gracious atmosphere. There is an olive grove, a large swimming pool and ample gated parking.
Each suite has a queen-size bed (some canopied or four-poster) along with a mixture of antiques and contemporary furnishings. The pool, the olive grove, the Mediterranean herb and flower gardens and sculpted fountains all combine to create a harmonious and restful atmosphere.
To see more, visit our website: www.olivettes.com
A center for fine dining, Lourmarin has more than fifteen restaurants, including two of which are recommended in the Michelin Guide: "Le Moulin", which belongs to Edouard Loubet, and Reine & Nadia Sammut's 'La Fenière'.
In Lourmarin there is a remarkable Renaissance château to visit, and great opportunities for hiking, biking, and other outdoor activites. The village is ideally located in the Luberon Natural Park, within easy reach of Aix, Avignon, Arles and the world-famous antiques centre of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.
Other nearby favorite attractions include the hilltop villages of Gordes and Roussillon, and the working Cistercian Abbey of Sénanque with its famous lavender fields.
By the way, we specialise in stays of at least one week. We feel strongly about this. You can think of it as quality time - more restful and more fruitful than moving on too often. Since Lourmarin is well-placed for visiting most of the sights in Provence, our guests often get to see more than they would if they traveled from one town to another, spending time packing and unpacking and driving. And they also find that Lourmarin itself, although small, has a lot to offer by way of restaurants, shops and art galleries - just five minutes' walk from Les Olivettes. Many of our guests tell us how much they appreciate coming 'home' after a day's touring, and relaxing on the terrace with a glass of wine and a beautiful view, before strolling into the village to have dinner.
The layout at Les Olivettes makes it a perfect haven for families or groups of friends to get together, with plenty of shared space. However, each individual suite is large, and has its own terrace and kitchenette. Our guests love being able to hang out together, while retaining their own independence.
Each spacious suite has an en-suite bathroom, and there is a further half-bathroom off the kitchen.
The kitchen is large and well-equipped, and gives onto the common-room with its cathedral ceiling, dining and sitting areas, and immense picture window. There are also plenty of opportunities for al fresco dining, with three barbecues, and plenty of space to set up our folding tables by the pool, on the boules court, or under the olive trees.