Visit and enjoy our beautiful Provence
During your holiday at our Provence Farmhouse, you might want just to relax by the pool or in the shade at Mas de la Plume and enjoy the “joie de vivre” in Provence.
If you prefer a slightly more active lifestyle, you can enjoy cycling, horseback riding, walking, tennis and golfing nearby.
There is also plenty to do and see around Eygalières and within one hour's drive.
We have selected a few visits and excursions to help you planning your ideal holiday in Provence. These can take you to visit the historic cities of Avignon or Aix en Provence, to taste the delicious produce from our vineyards and olive groves, to discover the ancient sites of Glanum and Pont du Gard or to experience the Provencal markets and traditional festivities.
Whatever you decide to do, Eygalières and Mas de la Plume are ideally located for you to explore Provence.
SAINT REMY DE PROVENCE
This is a typical Provencal little town that is still showing its medieval structure and some of its old walls. It is the home to Van Gogh, Nostradamus and the roman antiques of Glanum. Its very large market is on Wednesday morning.
LES BAUX DE PROVENCE (one of France "most beautiful villages")
Breath-taking fortress and village located on top of a rocky plateau.
From Eygalières, cross the Alpilles via Mouries and Maussane to reach les Baux. Also, if you can, do visit “Mas de la Dame” a worthwhile vineyard with a welcoming bilingual host.
BEAUCAIRE – TARASCON
Both medieval towns on each side of the Rhone river have 15th Cent Fortresses guarding the strategic river
LA MONTAGNETTE
With the village of Barbentane (and its lovely chateau that can be visited) and Abbaye du Frigolet with its magnificently painted church (our Lady of Good Remedy) and where Anne of Austria came to pray to have a son in 1632. When Louis XIV was born in 1638, in thanks, she adorns a part of the church with baroque art and paintings.
MONT VENTOUX
A feature of a mountain that dominates Provence, I recommend a visit to the top for the view but do take warm clothes at it can be chilly there even in the heart of summer.
AIX EN PROVENCE
Magnificent town by the mountain Ste Victoire, home of Cezanne.
MARSEILLE
Second biggest town in France, very buzzing. Do visit the old town, the harbour and climb to the church that dominate the city and protect its seamen (Notre Dame de la Garde)
CALANQUES DE CASSIS
Cassis is a village by the sea from where to can take a boat to see the Calanques (the southern fjords). A lovely day.
CAMARGUE
This is a protected 820 km2 marshland, home of the black bulls (used for the feria and corrida), the white wild horses (always born black) and the flamingos. The guardians (cowboys) look after the bulls at their “manades” (ranches) and the land also produces rice and a delicious “sand wine” , the Listel. Look for the traditional Guardian's thatched houses rounded out on the north side to fend the strong Mistral wind.
ARLES
Town with a rich Roman past and many sites to visit (Roman theatre, Constantine Thermal baths). If you like history, the Arles Archaeological Museum (musee de l'Arles et de la Provence antiques) is wonderful.
AIGUES MORTES
Now land locked, and originally a small village in the marshes, this town was built in XIII Cent by the Knights Templar on their own land and became the main port of departure for the crusades.
SAINTES MARIES DE LA MER
Seaside resort (busy in the summer) with a rich religious history, site of pilgrimage for the roma gypsies and heart of the Camargue
AVIGNON
Beautiful ancient city with its medieval ramparts and home to the Popes between 1309 to 1423. Do not miss the visit of the city and the impressive “Cite des Papes”, the castle where the Popes resided in luxury.
L'ISLE SUR LA SORGUE
A little Venice of a town with all its canals. If you can, go and enjoy the “market on the water” on the first Sunday of August. It is also home to a great number of antiques market and shops where you can browse at leisure and the International Antiques Fair Mid-August (15 to 18).
LUBERON AREA
Do not miss its beautiful hilltop villages: Gordes, Bonnieux, Menerbes, Lacoste, Joucas.
ABBAYE DE SENANQUE
A very special place to discover near Gordes, a 12th Century Cistercian Abbey nestled in a gorgeous valley.
ROUSSILLON
Often referred as “the French Colorado”, it is a superb village with houses in warm colours of the local ochres. Do not miss the “Ochres trail”, a great walk through the colourful canyon.
UZES
A gem of a medieval town with its rich and protestant past that shows through its large and sober stone houses. Do not miss the old ducal castle and the leaning Fenestrelle tower.
LE PONT DU GARD
An amazing Roman aqeduct. Not to be missed.
EVENTS IN PROVENCE
There are many events throughout the summer in Provence, pick up the free magazine “Farandole” from the baker or grocer; it will give you a calendar of events in the region.
21 June: Everywhere in France: festival of music in the streets
Whole of July: Festival of music in Avignon
13 July: Night Market (Saint Martin de Crau)
14 July: Bastille Day everywhere in France
Mid July: Feria du Cheval in Saintes Maries de la mer (Camargue)
First Sunday of August: Market on the water at L'isle sur la Sorgue
15 August: L'Isle sur la Sorgue: great antiques market
15 August: Fete de la Lavande at Sault
Mid-August: Feria de St Remy de Provence
Around the 10th August (day of St Lawrence, patron Saint of the village) and for 5 days: Fete votive in Eygalieres with fun fair for the children, demonstrations of the guardians with their horses and bulls, live music and dancing in the evenings.
3rd week-end August: Fete Medievale (a great event for families) in Tarascon
24 August: Fete du vin in Seguret
3rd week-end of Sept:Fete des olives (big provencal fete around the theme of olive), in Mouries
Fetes Votives
Its summer in Provence and that means its time "pour la fête" or time to party. Every town and village in Provence has a "Fête Votive", which is a festival that is specific to that town, usually celebrating its Patron Saint.
It is typically a three-to-five-day event and includes fairground rides and stalls, bodegas (drinking stands), horse-riding, bull running and dinner under the stars followed by a spectacle, a singing and dancing extravaganza, culminating with fireworks on the last night.
It is the ideal occasion for our local "gardians" (cowboys) to demonstrate their skills and keep the traditional alive.
Depending on the size (and wealth) of the village or town, the fete votive can include many events and, if the village has an arena, even small corrida (without killing the bull).
So, all summer long, there will always be a Fête Votive somewhere for you to discover.
Markets
Every town and village has its market day, taking place usually from 8am to 1pm
They are a perfect place to find excellent and delicious local produce.
The closest markets to the house are:
Cavaillon Monday
Eyguieres Tuesday
St Remy Wednesday (very large market)
Molleges Wednesday (small market)
Senas Thursday (and farmers market every day except Sunday, June to Sept)
Eygalieres Friday
Vineyards and Olive Groves
There are several vineyards to visit in Eygalieres where you can taste their produce, such as:
Domaine de Valdition
Chateau Romanin
Domaine de la Vallongue
Domaine d'Eole
Mas du Gourgonnier
Mas de la Dame
Domaine des Terres Blanches
Several of these vineyards also produce the delicious Alpilles AOC olive oil.
If you are interested in wines, I do recommend saving a day to tour the vineyards of Beaumes-de-Venise, Vacqueyras, Gigondas and Seguret (delightful car free village).
Choose preferably the Saturday 24th August (see Events). You can finish your tour by driving up le Mont Ventoux. A perfect day.
