Your contact:	Pierre Charols
Telephone:	+33 6 11 83 05 97
Email:	Click here to contact Maison Lavande

Maison Lavande is a three-storey maison du maître, built in the mid-19th century in the heart of the lively Provençal village of Sablet. It was recently renovated to accommodate five guests in comfort, and is an ideal place from which to discover the rich character of this region of France.

In front of the house is a large courtyard, which has a view of the church clock tower in the centre of the village, with open countryside just beyond. There's a dining table in the courtyard shaded by a big sun umbrella, with seating for six to eight.

Indoors, all of the rooms have large windows and get plenty of light and sunshine. The front door opens from the courtyard into the hall. On the ground floor of the house is a kitchen/dining room, a living room, a study, a double bedroom with an ensuite bathroom, and a separate shower room. This makes it possible for two people to live entirely on the ground floor, with two more bedrooms upstairs.

The kitchen/dining room is decorated in the Provençal style with a window overlooking the courtyard. It includes a gas cooking range, an electric oven, a fridge/freezer, a microwave, and a dishwasher. The dining area has a large dining table and a radio. The comfortable living room looks out onto the courtyard, and is well set up for relaxation: there's a pair of sofas, some chairs, well-stocked bookshelves and a stereo.

The study has a desk, sofa and chairs, a TV with English language channels, a VCR and WiFi Broadband Internet. The large double bedroom on the ground floor has fitted wardrobes, a seating area and steps leading to a gallery. Full length glazed doors open onto the courtyard. The en-suite bathroom is fitted with a bath and hand shower, a separate walk-in shower, two hand basins, a toilet, and a bidet. There's an additional shower room downstairs with a shower, a basin, and a toilet. Steps from the hallway lead down to the lower ground floor, where there is a laundry/utility area with a large sink, a washing machine, tumble dryer and an ironing board.

The upstairs rooms overlook the courtyard and the village. One bedroom has a pair of single beds, while the other has one single bed. An additional portable bed or child's cot can be supplied if arranged in advance. The upstairs shower room has a shower, basin and toilet.

The house is suitable for visitors wishing to avoid stairs as the double bedroom/bathroom are at ground floor level. Parking by the courtyard is convenient, and for the longer term, there is free parking in the main square, directly opposite the house, which can be seen from the kitchen window.

Special features:

• Bilingual assistance available on site

The village of Sablet has a good range of shops and services, all within five minutes' walk from Maison Lavande. There are two butchers, a baker, a grocer, a mini-market, a florist, a restaurant, a wine bar, a pharmacy, a bank, and a post office. The tourist office is just a few doors away, and has information on local events and places of interest, in addition to selling wine from the local vineyards. There are plenty of activities available locally. Sablet has two tennis courts. Passes can be bought from a local shop; they are not expensive and can be valid for up to a week.

There are many swimming pools (including Olympic size), as well as aquatic parks, in the area, and swimming is also available in the surrounding rivers. The owners or their English speaking neighbour are always happy to point out various places on the map and offer friendly advice to their guests.

If you're considering a long term stay in Provence, the local schools are excellent and welcome children from abroad. One of them is only a few minutes walk from the house. If you would like more information on this and other aspects of a long term rental, please let the owners know; they'll be glad to offer any assistance.

Sablet is a working village situated in the picturesque foothills of Les Dentelles de Montmirail. It lies in the heart of the wine-producing region of Côtes du Rhône, which produces great village wines such as Sablet, Gigondas, Beaume de Venise, Seguret and Vacqueyras and, most notably, Chateauneuf du Pape. Many of the local vineyards welcome visitors for wine tasting sessions. Sablet is located close to two towns founded by the Romans: Vaison-la-Romaine, with its famous Roman bridge, and Orange, famous for its Roman amphitheatre.

The historic town of Avignon is just 35 kilometres away, and is well worth visiting for its great medieval ramparts and the Gothic splendour of the Palace of the Popes, constructed during a period in the middle ages when Avignon was the site of the Papal See.

Ground floor galleried double bedroom	The single bedroom
Ground floor bathroom	Upstairs shower room
The front door	A corner in the courtyard
Market in nearby Bedoin	A doorway in Sablet
A lavender field in the surrounding countryside