La Bastide des Plaines

Ground Floor:

Entrance Hallway – leading into corridors to all the ground floor rooms and with stairs ascending to the first floor. At the end of the hall is a WC with a washbasin.

Kitchen – very spacious, light and modern, with a breakfast table seating 8 people and windows facing south and west and a door to the gardens on the western side. The kitchen is equipped with an electric cooker with 5 hobs, large ovens and an overhead extractor; double sinks and a dishwasher; a microwave; a large fridge/freezer; a Nespresso coffee maker, toaster, electric kettle, etc.

A Larder is adjacent to the kitchen with full height fridges and wine stores.

A Laundry Room adjoins, with a large washing machine, two washing up machines, a separate dryer, double sinks, an iron and ironing board.

Dining Room – leading off the Kitchen and featuring an imposing, working stone fireplace and a formal dining table seating 16.

Sitting Room – large and comfortable with a honey-coloured stone wall, sofas, armchairs and a large, widescreen Philips + satellite TV, plus a Blue-Ray DVD Player. A staircase also ascends to the Master Bedroom. A large arched window and door open to the garden on the South side

Billiards Room – with a full size table, balls, cues and overhead lights, as well as armchairs, a piano, a CD player and a collection of CD’s.

Bedroom 1 – with a child’s bed and an interconnecting door to

Bedroom 2, which has a high, arched ceiling, a 5’6” double bed, windows and door leading to gardens on the eastern side and ensuite Bathroom 1 with a walk-in shower, twin washbasins and a W.C.

First Floor

Stairs ascend from the entrance hallway to

Bedroom 3, The Mustard Room – located at the top of the stairs, with two 3’ single beds, a window facing south and ensuite Bathroom 2, with a walk-in shower, a wash basin and a W.C.

Bedroom 4, The Blue Room – the huge Master Bedroom, with a 6’ double bed and windows facing south and east, plus a staircase which descends to the Sitting Room.

Bedroom 5, The Pink Room – a large room with two 3’ single beds and a French window and Juliet balcony facing east.

Bathroom 3 – modern in style, with a bath, a wash basin and a W.C.

Bedroom 6, The Black Room - with a 6’6” bed and a window facing west.

Bedroom 7, The Red Room - with two 3’ single beds and a window facing east.

Bathroom 4 - with a walk-in shower and double wash basins. A separate WC is adjacent to the shower room.

Bedroom 8, The Green Room - with a 5’6” double bed, windows facing south and an ensuite Bathroom 5 with bath WC, washbasin and window to the west.

Bedroom 9 - with a 5’6” double bed, windows facing north and an ensuite Bathroom 6 with a walk-in shower, a wash basin and a W.C.

La Bastide des Plaines is 3.5 kms north of the charming, large village of Rognes on the borders of the Luberon ‘departement’ of Provence. There are many indications of Roman occupation in the village including a Gallo Roman Villa and a Roman Mausoleum.

The house is located off a small, virtually unused lane, which in turn leads from the fairly quiet D543.

The village of Rognes provides good shopping, and is especially known for its truffle market. The nearest supermarkets are at Cadenet (4kms), at Lambesc (9kms) and Lourmarin (9 kms).

Aix en Provence is the nearest city that offers all shopping, restaurants and more.

Rognes is 12 kms west of the A51 autoroute (exit 15), and 60 kms (50 minutes drive) from Marseilles international airport (Marignane). The superfast TGV, stops at Aix-en-Provence (40 minutes).

The house manual contains helpful information including when and where local markets take place, details of nearby supermarkets, shops and their specialities, recommended restaurants in various price categories, and the many things to see and do in the surrounding area. There’s a Tourist Office in Rognes which also provides much useful advice and information.

This is spectacular walking country and the house manual provides details of walks in the surrounding National Parks.

The nearest golf courses are: Pont Royal Golf Club, Mallemort (18 holes), and Set Golf Club, Aix-en-Provence (9 holes). Both are about 20 kms. 

Canoeing, kayaking, dinghy sailing and rafting is an option on the local rivers and lakes. Arguably the best point of hire is at Foxtaine-de-Vaucluse on the Sorgue river (25 kms). These lakes also offer swimming from sandy beaches, whilst several have restaurants on their shores.

Bicycles can be hired on the village of Villelaure (10 kms), and can be delivered and collected from the "Bastide". There are however 8 bicycles for the use of guests at La Bastide.

There is badminton, table tennis, a croquet course/set and petanque to play in the garden.

The spectacular Gorges du Verdon, Europe's Grand Canyon, offers adventure activities of many kinds.

Vineyards abound in the region and most offer tours, tastings and on-the-spot purchases. Many local lavender farms also offer tours and sell a range of gifts.

There are many hugely photogenic small towns and villages to explore in the surrounding area - Bonnieux, Saignon, Vaugines (where Jean de Florette and Manon des Sources were filmed), Lourmarin, Lacoste (with the Marquis de Sade’s castle), Ansouis, Apt, Roussillon, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Ménerbes and Gordes, to name but some.

Visiting The Alpilles is a must. An untamed natural and most distinctive landscape and environment with proudly preserved traditions. Its the province of St Remy de Provence and Baux de Provence and very much the land that the author Alphonse Daudet and the artist Vincent van Gogh have shared with the world. The landscape is magnificent with huge mountains covered in shrubs, pine and oak forest and verdant plains on the lower lands.

The historic cities and cultural centres of Aix-en-Provence, Nîmes and Avignon make excellent days out. There are distinguished music festivals in all of them, particularly in Aix. La Roque d’Athéron (4 kms) has an international Piano Festival each August.

There are numerous châteaux, abbeys, churches, gardens, art galleries, museums and archaeological sites that are well worth a visit, as well as many cultural and sporting events taking place in the surrounding area.

Local outdooer markets are held at Aix en Provence, Cadenet, Ansouis, La Roque d'Antheron, Lambesc, Apt, Bonnieux, Lourmain and Rognes. The House Guide gives market days and times for all.

The best Mediterranean beaches within easy reach are in the 'calanques' (coves) to the west of Cassis, as well as the larger beaches east of this small coastal town, several of which have windsurfing, waterskiing and sailing facilities. Cassis also has some good seafood restaurants.

The house manual provides details of local children's zoos and adventure playgrounds as well as paintballing and a labyrinth in La Roque d’Anthéron.

Many grottoes and caves in the area include features from their fascinating, pre-historic past.
The house manual provides details of the nearest golf courses as well as the nearest riding stables, where lessons and treks can be arranged.

Flying, ballooning and parapenting are exhilarating ways to admire the spectacular scenery of the Luberon.