Notes from the host
Villa Saint Marc
The independent apartment, called "Provencal cottage" is on the 1st floor of an old building completely renovated. It is suitable for a family / group of 2 to 4 people including children. it adjoins the bastide of the villa Saint Marc (18th century completely renovated). Classified 4 stars in furnished accommodation.
In the opinion of our hosts, we have the most beautiful view: in the center the citadel, to the west the Luberon mountains, to the east the Verdon mountains and the lavender sea of the Valensole plateau.
We are quiet, and our location is ideal, according to your comments, 10 minutes on foot from the center of Forcalquier, but also at the start of walks in the mountains (Mourres site).
In addition to this apartment, we offer several rooms in B&B (2 people each, with private bathroom), and a large penthouse (4 to 7 people).
Here you are calm, (except for the cicadas songs in summer), while being less than 10 minutes from the village center (trade, market open Monday and Thursday).
You can also walk directly from the villa to the remarkable site of Les Mourres.
The villa Saint Marc is located in the heart of the Lavender countries, in the Luberon Regional Natural Park, with its pretty villages, its enchanting nature with typical scents and flavors, often described in Giono's novels.
Our villa in Forcalquier, is also on the edge of the Verdon Regional Natural Park, with its Valensole plateau (lavender sea), its lakes, its mountains, and its torrents and famous gorges.
From the villa, you have one of the most beautiful views of the "country" - in the opinion of the forcalquiais - on the historic village of Forcalquier, and the mountains of Luberon to the west, the mountains of verdon to the east. Our hosts confirm this in their reviews on this site, or on trip advisor.
For those seeking tranquility, the stay here is ideal: you are both calm (except for the song of the cicadas during the summer), while being 10 minutes on foot from the center of Forcalquier, with its market, its shops, the new green village (organic products, local products), the countless restaurants and bars.
OFFERED SERVICES :
Here you benefit from multiple services on site: saltwater swimming pool, with - for large swimmers - the possibility of chaining lengths thanks to swimming against the current. For lovers of water massage, just sit on the steps and adjust the power of the jets ...
We also have in the 4,500 m2 park, a children's play area, with a small hut between the trees and a swing.
A table tennis table is also available, and a Badimton game.
The villa is surrounded by a terrace, which also has a beautiful view of the citadel, where "optional" breakfasts are served.
There is also our vegetable garden - entirely organic - where we grow vegetables and salads in permaculture.
the orchard below is planted with some fruit trees.
Sometimes Cristina, our manager, who hosts a cooking show on the local radio station, offers homemade pies with tea / coffee / syrup. It is generally vegetarian and organic.
The villa is fully equipped, with internet access and wi-fi everywhere.
Parking is also available in the fenced park.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
The decoration of the villa is neat, in "art deco" style, respecting as much as possible the authenticity of the place. The ground floor is covered with original colored cement tiles. On the first floor are typical terracotta tiles from Provence. And on the second, they are rare rectangular tiles. Some rooms have refurbished hardwood floors.
The ceilings are raised, as was traditional in the mansions. They are decorated with original friezes, especially in the living room and the dining room on the ground floor.
Some walls have been restored, with the original colors and patterns.
The rooms on the first floor have private bathrooms and are suitable for 1 to 3 people. They all have a view of the citadel and the surrounding hills.
The penthouse suite on the second floor with its two bedrooms and its huge living room, dining room, kitchen, and bathroom, is suitable for 4 to 7 people. She has a Provencal "sitting dog" with an unobstructed view overlooking the old town.
And the adjoining independent cottage with one bedroom and a large living-dining room, kitchen area, is suitable for 2 to 4 people.
From all the accommodation, south facade, very sunny, you have the magnificent view of the citadel and the hills.
Breakfasts, optional, are taken on the terrace overlooking the park, always with the magnificent view.
For shopping, two supermarkets are less than 5 kms away. Several convenience stores are in the city center (10 minutes on foot). And Forcalquier is proud to have set up a "green village", 10 minutes walk from the villa. You will find local products sold in short circuits (directly by local producers), and a large area of organic products.
Forcalquier is a city resolutely oriented towards art and heritage. Several dozen artists have their studios there, and some of them have galleries. To visit if you like art.
OUR CHARTER:
We are oriented towards respect for the environment, we do not use - as much as possible - products harmful to nature and animals. Our cuisine is vegetarian, and we encourage our guests in the cottage or penthouse - as much as possible - not to cook meat in the kitchens.
We provide them with barbecues for outdoor use, in places that we have specially set up in the garden, with water and electricity.
We are internationally oriented, having lived in several countries ourselves before coming to settle here. We respect all cultures, and can communicate in French of course, in English, in Italian, and a little in German.
We are available for our guests, and as noted in the reviews on this site or on trip advisor, we help you as much as possible to advise and help you with your travels, meals, hobbies, visits.
We are here to make your stay as pleasant as possible. And we are happy to see you happy and relaxed during your stay.
We have often seen guests arrive who are stressed by their profession, their active life! After a few days here, we saw the faces more and more relaxed, the smiles come back. It is our greatest pleasure.
HOBBIES :
From Villa Saint Marc, for example, you can walk to the Mourres rocks, less than an hour's walk from the villa, in the scrubland hills, where you will smell the scent of wild thyme. The Rocks of the mourres, of particularly strange shape (heads, mushrooms, others? ) related to erosion at the bottom of a lake. True open-air museum…
On foot, you can make lots of visits in Forcalquier itself: the old town, the Sainte Marie chapel, full of hikes explained in maps.
You can play tennis, practice golf (nine holes at 5 kms), horse riding (several horse clubs within a radius of 10 kms), admire the valley and the hills in a hot air balloon flight (the base is at downtown Forcalquier)…
The Monday market is a must, not to be missed. It starts 5 minutes walk from the villa.
Lovers of art and heritage will be delighted. Many possible visits to artists' workshops installed in Forcalquier, and very old restored buildings.
By taking the car, you can visit magical places like the abbey of Ganagobie (15 kms), the ethno-botanical museum in the old monastery of Salagon (5 kms), the seas of lavender on the way to Valensole (a from 10 kms).
Remarkable sites are nearby such as the Ocres du Roussillon, the Esparron de Verdon lake with its many nautical activities.
Many bike rides are also possible, which you can rent in Forcalquier itself. We received hosts, who left by bike from the villa to the Petit Luberon (60 kms) ...
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Hosted byCristiana Chiandussi
