La Syrah occupies the upper floor of a stone farmhouse dating from the 18th century. The house is set amid a hectare and a half (four acres) of vines and fruit trees, with a swimming pool, on the edge of the small medieval town of Caromb.
Two bedrooms comfortably accommodate up to four guests. The apartment is fully self-contained and has its own private outdoor staircase and entrance, and is quiet, with the space below unused.
The owners live on the property and are always happy to help their guests. As the property is a working vineyard, it's not suitable for children, pets, or people who have difficulty with stairs.
The apartment has its own private enclosed terrace which enjoys views of nearby Caromb and the Luberon hills. The surrounding countryside is a quiet landscape of vineyards and orchards.
The five by eleven metre swimming pool, available only during peak season, is solar heated. Sunbeds are available to relax on the terrace by the pool. The pool is shared with the owners and just the one gite.
In the distance is the great peak of Mont Ventoux, a famously hard stage of the Tour de France; the great regional park of the Luberon; the hilltop medieval village of Le Baroux and the many other surrounding hills; and the Dentelles de Montmirail mountain range.
Inside the apartment are two bedrooms, one with a king size double bed and one with two single beds. The fully equipped modern kitchen includes a stovetop with four burners, an electric oven and microwave.
A dining table seats four, and there is an additional dining table on the enclosed terrace. The terrace has windows on three sides, all of which can be opened to create an indoor-outdoor feel while enjoying the shade. The terrace also has sofas, making it an ideal spot to relax, read, or enjoy the views.
A shower room has a sink and WC, and a washing machine with a dryer.
The lively old town of Caromb is less than a kilometre away, so it's an easy walk and there's no need to worry about designated drivers. Caromb has several restaurants, bars and a particularly good wine bar, plus two supermarkets, a butcher, and an organic fruit and vegetable shop.
Market day in Caromb is Tuesday, when vendors set up their stalls on the streets and sell fresh local produce, cheeses and meats. On every other day of the week, there is a good market in other nearby towns.
Very close to the house is a sports centre that includes tennis courts. The region abounds in walking and hiking trails.
Each local village organises several events during the summer season, including concerts, cultural events, wine tasting and festivals. Caromb celebrates the fig festival, a music competition, a fun fair, and a week long tango event.
Mont Ventoux, half an hour's drive away, is a place of pilgrimage for many cyclists and offers impressive views from the top. If you can't manage the demanding slopes on a bicycle, you can also drive or rent an electric bicycle. Splashworld, about 20 minutes away, also offers water-park entertainments.
The ancient town of Carpentras is about fifteen minutes' drive, and has retained much of its medieval charm. It was papal territory for three hundred years and also contains the oldest continuously operational synagogue in France.
It's just half an hour to the city of Avignon. Surrounded by medieval walls, the city is rich in history. The Papal palace there is a must to visit, dating from a period when the popes were based in Avignon.
There is also an excellent sound and light show within the palace that operates for much of the summer season. The Avignon festival in early summer is a well known music event and features many top acts.
“We would like to tell you how much we enjoyed our stay at La Syrah. The flat is very well equipped and now we miss the beautiful views of the vineyard, olive trees and Mont Ventoux. After a day of sightseeing, we enjoyed sitting at the table by the pool with some cheese and a glass of wine, the evening sun making the nearby village of Caromb glow warmly. Life doesn’t get much better.”
Tom and Barbara - Pleasant Hill, California, USA
“I'd just like to put in writing how much we thoroughly enjoyed our stay at your lovely property in Caromb. It was a lovely apartment to stay in, plenty big enough for us all and cool inside, although the air con was welcome during the very hot weather. The views from the top of the apartment stairs looking out over the vineyards, olive trees to the hills beyond were amazing and sitting on the top of the stairs with a drink in my hand was heaven. What fantastic sunsets you have there, the skies were very colourful on an evening. The pool and bbq area is lovely and we enjoyed our midnight drinks with you both in the pool on those very hot evenings. The surrounding area is beautiful, so many places to visit, we didn't even scratch the surface on my list of things to do!”
Susan, Brett, Jack and Oliver - London, UK