Christian Etienne, Provence

Advantages: sun, great food, scenery, wine
Disadvantages: cold in Winter, hard to get around on local transport

...From September of last year (2000)our student daughter had a university placement as a language assistant in a school in the small but beautiful village of Cadanet in the Luberon area of Provence. My husband, myself and our daughter, all fell deeply in love with the area. Cadanet and the neighbouring villages were each as charming and as interesting as each other. We spent two weeks last September in Provence settling our daughter into what would be her home for the duration of her stay in Cadanet. Her house had been provided along with a low rent by the local Mairie. The house was situated in one of the many ancient streets that wind around the hill topped by the ancient but ruined chateau. Caves are visible in the rocks beneath the chateau and were once habitated, especially during WW2 when they were used by the local Maquis... Read review

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Advantages: Great views, great food, great dink, historical and artistic attractions
Disadvantages: Those Roads, Expensive generally

........if only! Just back from one of the best holidays of my life. Two weeks in Provence, and how I wish it had been a year as in Peter Mayle’s book….. We booked our hotel, car hire and accommodation independently. We found our cottage by leafing through a Blake’s Cottages – France book, and we were actually able to book on line, so we instantly knew which cottages were available for what weeks. However, we booked six months in advance and many of the cottages which we liked were already gone, so my advice is to book as early as you can, not that we were disappointed with our accommodation at all, quite the contrary. Our gite, which would have slept four, was a tad over £800 for two weeks, although the prices rose quickly after this, as is the norm for accommodation of this kind. We booked flights through British Airways... Read review

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Advantages: Fantastic scenery, hot weather, 'interesting people'
Disadvantages: Hard work to organise, a very long way to drive

...Ok, holidays over and back to work for me... still getting into the swing of things here but thought I would write you all a nice op about my hols... I know, shock and horror, its not a Lush op! (Just for Deano :) and all the other men worn down by Lush) Are we all ready? Then I shall begin.... Bit of a different holiday for me this year, generally they consist of very little travel to a nice hot country where I can lounge around and my every need is catered for, ahhh... Not this year though, oh no, mini decides that this year is a time for exploration which is why me and three others ended up driving - yes, you heard me - actually driving to Provence. Might not seem very far on the map but cor blimey is it a long way in the car! **GETTING THERE** No choice but ferry crossing for us... being the poor miserly lot that we... Read review

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