Cottage in Saignon

Le Petit Cabanon Aux Lavandes is a small stone cottage with traditional wooden shutters, fully restored and nestling amidst fields of lavender in the hills of the Luberon. The space The cottage is small but perfect. Downstairs is the kitchen/dining/sitting room, with washing machine, fridge, oven, four-ring hob, TV, DVD player, dining table and chairs and a lovely fireplace. There's central heating, too, just in case! Provencal cookery books are provided for those who wish to savour the exquisite local country recipes, a comprehensive array of tourist maps for the energetic and a selection of good novels for those who just want to unwind. Up some steepish wooden stairs is the bedroom (king size bed) with plenty of wardrobe space and an ensuite bathroom with shower. Fresh cotton bedlinen and towels are provided. The cottage has its own telephone line and free WIFI for your laptop. Outside on the terrace are sunbeds, electric grill and table and chairs so you can gaze up to the 12th century village church as you savour the local produce... Guest access The cottage isn't shared with anybody else, so it's all yours as soon as you arrive! There's plenty of space to park, sit out, lie in the sun, relax. Other things to note The cottage looks directly onto the famous purple hills of the Luberon. If you fling open your bedroom shutters, you see the village of Saignon, up a steep slope with dramatic rocks, the church and lots of cherry orchards. To the rear of the cottage are two cherry orchards that belong to us, so you are welcome to stroll around them and pick as much fruit as you can eat in season. As well as the pretty terrace around two sides of the cottage, with metal arbour, ivy and honeysuckle, we have also provided outdoor eating facilities in another tranquil corner near the boules court, because it is such a lovely place to sit and gaze over the village. If you are coming in late May or June, you can make your own cherry jam (we will lend you the equipment!). In September, the grapes are perfect. The lavender is in full bloom from mid-June until late July/very early August, becoming a deeper and deeper shade of purple until it is harvested, from mid-August onwards, perfuming the air. The grapes are picked in late September and taken down to the local winery. In October and November the scenery is every hue of orange and gold (a painter's paradise!) and you can pick or buy delicious wild mushrooms. There are truffles as soon as the weather is cold enough (usually the end of November, but at their best later in the winter). From December until the end of February there is beginner's ski-ing just one hour away at the Montagne de Lure, and excellent slopes at Serre Chevalier (2 1/2 hours). Winter is traditionally bright and crisp. We have been here for fourteen years and have eaten outside on Boxing Day for ten of those. Christmas is wonderful, with the nativity performed by local children in the exquisitely romantic village church on the evening of 24th December, often featuring the newest baby in the village and real live goats (with all the ensuing chaos!) followed by Midnight mass for those who choose to stay for it. Local restaurant serve rich casseroles of wild boar with delicious red wine, or fluffy mushroom or truffle omelettes. March brings colourful wildflowers that line the edge of the roads, and April is yellow with huge bushes of broom.....