Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label summer. Show all posts

Sunday 22 September 2019

Beautiful Provencal accommodation - Part Two

Summer holidays seem a long time ago now. In Beautiful Provencal accomodation - Part One, I took you to the very pretty village of Cabrières d'Avignon, which as the name suggests is not far from Avignon and indeed, not far from a whole swathe of walks, markets, villages, exhibitions...perfect for a busy break with plenty of distractions. I was particularly enamoured with our lodgings and having already shown you around the outside, today I take you for a wander inside. It was a hot week, the hottest in France, qualified as a 'canicule'.

By definition:

Pour être en canicule, deux conditions sont requises :

les températures doivent être plus élevées de 5 degrés par rapport aux normales de saison, le jour, comme la nuit,
et cela doit durer au moins pendant 3 jours et 3 nuits.

To be a heatwave, two conditions must be met: the temperatures must be 5 degrees higher than normal for the season both during the day and at night
AND this condition must persist over 3 (consecutive) days and 3 nights.

To read the article in its entirety, link here

Despite the rest of France - and us too, on our daytime excursions - feeling uncomfortably hot, we were very lucky to have a small pool outside, which helped to cool us off and the thick stone walls of our accommodation kept the temperature down inside.

Would you like to take a look with me?

Front door to the left, entry vestibule and formal dining
A selection of photos showing the amazing transformation/renovation of the home
No need to turn on the air conditioning in these cool rooms with thick stone walls but I can imagine how cosy it would be with the fire lit in winter.
Dining room with kitchen to the left. I loved the quirky barn door/mirror idea
Kitchen with traditional tomette tiles
One of the views from the master bedroom
Twin bedroom on first floor with doors to the right leading out to a balcony
Other side of the first-floor twin bedroom
Double bedroom first floor
Master bedroom and bathroom


I love our village of Talloires, our region, our lake and mountains, but it was a real pleasure to explore a different part of France.

For details of our own holiday rental accommodation (not as pictured here!), click here.
To read our French story, 'But you are in France, Madame', click here.

Tuesday 20 August 2019

Beautiful Provencal accommodation - Part One


Night falls over the village of Cabrières d'Avignon
I spent a long time looking at possibilities for our summer holiday in the South of France, knowing that any one of hundreds of little, extraordinarily beautiful and tempting villages would have made us happy. I was aware, though, that unlike our previous holiday in the area, this time we would be there pretty much in peak tourist season. I did want atmosphere and access but I didn't want interminable queues and contrived quaintness. Cabrières d'Avignon is small with a limited nightlife (one restaurant), a single bakery and small épicerie (with very expensive but fine goods) but, after a week in a much bigger village, it was exactly what I was hoping for.

And, then there was our accommodation...rather sumptuous... and with a pool and parking, just wonderful for chilled early evenings after our hot summer's days. 

So, let me show you around.


Come on in

Cute balcony. Perfect for one's first cup of tea of the morning




A gorgeous old house, lovingly restored and filled with a special something. Ambiance, I guess, which doesn't require a lot of commentary.

In my next post, I'll take you inside.

In the meantime, if you'd like to read about our early years of French living, 'But you are in France, Madame' is available here in both print and digital versions.
A bientôt!

Tuesday 30 August 2016

Sunday 31 July 2016

But you are in France, Madame - Half price on Kindle !

HALF PRICE SUMMER SALE

Great holiday reading for those who are in France, travelling to France or just dreaming of France.

Hop on over to Amazon to secure your copy of But you are in France, Madame.

And then - Let me know what you think (cb222@me.com).

 I'd love to hear from you.


Print versions available here