Le Mas de Guilles - Lourmarin, Provence

Chain:

RDS

Facilities:

• On-site manager
• Restaurant
• Swimming pool

Single room

Double/Twin room

Triple room

Check-in Time:

15.00

Check-out Time:

12.00

Children & Extra Guest Policy:

Free extra bed for 1 child under 12 y.o. sharing room with parents, breakfast to be paid locally

Things to do:

A swimming pool along which you will relax yourself.

Local Attractions:

- Abbey de Silvacane - La Roque-d'Anth?ron
A splendidly simple and beautifully proportioned Cistercian abbey. Founded in the 11C on marshland, the pink-tiled roofs and small belfry of this Cistercian abbey stand near the banks of the River Durance. Abandoned and in decline from the 14C, following the Wars of Religion, it was bought by the State in 1949 and has since been restored. A fine example of the sobriety extolled by its founding order, its harmonious lines are set off by the quality of the light. The church on a slope was built between 1175 and 1230. The cloisters and conventual buildings date from the 13C.

- Luberon - Apt
A wild, unspoilt region famed for the quality of its mysterious light. Declared a Regional Nature Reserve in 1977, the area is planted with oak forests and garigue stretching between the Alps and the Mediterranean. To the west the Petit Luberon forms a plateau carved by gorges where the altitude rarely exceeds 700m, whereas to the east the Grand Luberon rises up to 1 125m (Mourre N?gre). Among the sights to look out for are the Colorado de Rustrel, abbey of Senanque, and picturesque villages such as Gordes and Roussillon, without forgetting the curious dry-stone huts or bories, all steeped in a magical light.

- Mourre Negre- Auribeau
An ideal spot to contemplate the Luberon and the neighbouring regions. Mourre Negre (Black Face) is the highest point of the Montagne du Luberon (1 125m). The vast panorama from the summit embraces the Montagne de Lure and Digne pre-Alps (northeast), the Durance valley with Montagne Ste-Victoire in the background (southeast), the Etang de Berre and the Alpilles (southwest), and the Apt basin, the Vaucluse plateau and Mont Ventoux (northwest).

- Conservatory of ochre and similar pigments - Roussillon
Ochre in its various forms: its transformation and various uses. The conservatory of ochre and similar pigments is housed in the Mathieu factory which used to transform ochre extracted from nearby quarries. It explains the manufacturing process of the pigment used in paints and colourwashes: kneading to eliminate most of the sand, settling of the ochre in special basins (one for each colour), natural drying followed by oven drying, grinding at the mill and finally packing into sacks or barrels. You will also learn that ochre is one of the ingredients of rubber and that it colours the paper used for "Gitanes mais" cigarettes.

- Chaussee des Geants - Roussillon
A landscape of amazing rock formations tinged with red. It is not allowed to collect ochre, smoke or picnic on the site. A signposted footpath dotted with information panels leads to the famous Chaussee des Geants, overlooked by the eroded forms of the Aiguilles des F?es. The walk is also an excellent occasion to get better acquainted with the flora of these ochre hills, which includes holm-oaks and junipers, in addition to its landscape of ancient quarries carved out by the wind and rain.

- The village - Roussillon
Narrow streets, overlapping houses, coloured fa?ades and fine views of the surrounding area: this sums up Roussillon's charm. The best way to discover the village of Roussillon is to arrive at dusk when the oblique rays of the sun light up the ochre-painted houses. The sight is grandiose. Starting on the left of the Tourist Office, follow rue des Bourgades then ruelle de l'Arcade. Pass beneath the Belfrey Tower to reach the castrum. From this platform, there is a panoramic view of the Ventoux, the Grand Luberon and the village of Gordes. On your way back, take a look at a few galleries where artists and potters exhibit their works.

- Colorado de Rustrel
Walks through an amazing landscape. Several footpaths will take you past the fairies' chimneys, the Sahara, the Cirque of Barries, waterfalls, the river of sand and the tunnel, revealing shapes and landscapes that are the joint result of human activity (up to 1956) and erosion.

- Village des Bories - Gordes
Go back in time with a walk among the dry stone walls of this hamlet-cum-living museum Around 20 buildings, houses, sheepfolds or barns of various shapes and sizes, which are between 2 and 5 centuries old are arranged around the village bread oven. The buildings were occupied until the end of the 19C, but many questions remain as to their origin and their purpose. Was it a permanent or seasonal settlement? A place of refuge during times of trouble? The mystery remains.

- Senanque Abbey - Gordes
Feel in need of some quiet contemplation? Then why not try some meditation a few kilometres from Gordes, and a million miles away from the summertime noise and crowds. L'abbaye Notre-Dame de Senanque houses a monastic community. The monks offer several tours per week (by prior request) of the 12th-century buildings. The church was erected between 1150 and the start of the 13C. The purity of its lines, emphasised by the lack of ornamentation, creates an air of meditation and contemplation. A large dome on decorative squinches shelters the altar cross. A semi-circular apse lit by three windows (symbolising the Trinity) and flanked by 4 absidioles, puts the finishing touches to the edifice. The cloisters, with vaulted arches (end 12C) give access to various parts of the monastery buildings, each one with its own well-defined function: the chapter house, covered with 6 ogive arches, where the monks would meet to read, discuss the scriptures and make important decisions; the warming room, with one of the two original chimneys, heating the room where transcription of the scriptures took place; the refectory, destroyed in the 16C, then rebuilt and recently restored to its original state; the lay brothers' room, rebuilt in the 18C, which housed monks still in training.

Getting There:

Airport: Marseille 60 Km.
Train stations; Aix-Arbois 40 Km. / Avignon 60 KM.
By car: A7 Exit Senas