This is the second time I’m taking you to discover one of the Madame Vacances properties, this time in Provence, in the Vaucluse near L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. The first time was earlier this year when I went to Méribel Mottaret to experience spring skiing. I was more than thrilled to return to the region, because as you know by now, I always make a little trip to the Luberon every summer (chance, coincidence?…) and I have truly become a fan of this corner of France.
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The Provence Country Club Residence by Madame Vacances
This very beautiful residence and its outdoor pool are located in the countryside of Roussillon in Provence, attached to the magnificent 18-hole Saumane golf course. The site offers 130 apartments open year-round.
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Services offered on site
- The free outdoor pool, tennis courts (rackets can be borrowed at reception), fitness room, bicycle rentals to explore the surroundings,…
- A daily delivery service, bread and croissants available on request for breakfast
- A shuttle service to local markets and nearby towns during high season (from mid-June to mid-September)
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My apartment No. 364
The Madame Vacances residence consists of small Provençal houses divided into vacation apartments. The apartments are spacious and bright, featuring a living room and dining area with a fully equipped kitchen (stovetops, microwave, refrigerator, and dishwasher). All accommodations also include a private balcony or terrace, which is wonderful, and I certainly didn’t hold back from having my breakfast outside!
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Enjoy an evening with a private chef
This new “chef at home” service has been offered by Madame Vacances since just this year, in collaboration with a local chef, Eric. The service offers a typical Provençal evening with pétanque and a Provençal dinner. Eric prepares a delicious meal for us with regional specialties (I will never forget his sublime bouillabaisse) and also gives us cooking tips at the same time.
Rates: from €160 for the evening (which includes the cooking and service as well as culinary advice during the meal preparation) + the cost of the food purchased for the meal
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Golf initiation
In reality, the Provence Country Club residence by Madame Vacances was built in the heart of the Saumane Golf Course, and it would be a shame to come here without taking the opportunity to learn this complex sport. The golf course was designed by Jean Garaïlde (a Frenchman), and the course is well known among amateurs for its panoramic views, the original course design, and the quality of its maintenance. There is a golf practice area, a putting green, and a 5-hole ‘compact’ course (which is free and open to all), as well as the 18-hole course for those initiated.
During the summer, a 2-hour golf initiation is offered to Madame Vacances guests on Mondays and Tuesdays at a preferential price of €20 per person. This is the package we tested, and I must say that I was rather excited by the experience. It’s something you have to do at least once in your life, and plus, it allows you to try and crack the mysteries of golf, which may seem like a very mysterious discipline to neophytes like me…
In July and August, 3 x 2-hour courses are also offered for €150 per person, and naturally, private lessons are also possible.
The tip: Green Fees are offered to Madame Vacances guests at a preferential price of €56 (the public price is €70)
Saumane Golf
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Lunch at the Club House
This is the golf restaurant, but it is also accessible to Madame Vacances residents.
On the menu:
- Italian salad, Aïoli des Fontaines (a local dish you absolutely must try!!!) and local strawberry soup
- Le Gerfaut salad with heirloom Provençal tomatoes (€16)
Price: Golfer’s menu served every day at lunch with starter + main + dessert for €20 / Gerfaut Menu with starter + main + cheese or dessert for €31
Restaurant les Fontaines du Gerfaut
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Madame Vacances special offers
- Numerous special offers, promotions, and discounts via the Madame Vacances website: “early bird” offers (book for the following year at this year’s price and lock it in for the next 5 years, always with the option for free cancellation), “Flash Sales” for special pricing, marketing campaigns for International Women’s Day and Black Friday, and 100% reimbursed vacations (via voucher for a 2nd stay)
- The possibility of flexible arrival/departure dates with flexible stay durations
- An offer for a canoe trip for the whole family for those who book 4+ nights at the Provence Country Club one month in advance for a stay between June and September and who use the promo code: CANOE!
Rates (price range)
- From €599 for a 7-night stay in June in a 3-room apartment for 4-6 people
- A one-week stay starting from October 7th costs €162 for a 2-room apartment for 2 people
- In summer, a week for 4 starts from €497, and for a large 3-room apartment (with 2 bathrooms) for 4-7 people, the price starts from €676
Madame Vacances Provence Country Club Residence L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
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Sightseeing ideas in the surroundings, Luberon
As usual, I suggest a few ideas for outings, visits, and nice addresses to try in the vicinity of the residence, because vacations are also about discovering a region.
Visit Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
This charming little village is crossed by the Sorgue river. I recommend you take the lovely (and short) walk that leads to the source of the Sorgue, a place of worship since antiquity, where the depth of the chasm has never been reached to this day… That gives it a mysterious side, I think. If you pass by, also take a quick trip to the Paper Mill (Vallis Clausa), a vestige of the paper industry that dates back to the 16th century in the area.
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Visit L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
This pretty little water town is crossed by canals (it is, in fact, nicknamed the Provençal Venice), and it is very pleasant to stroll through. I also suggest going on Sunday morning to take a tour of the regional product market, but especially for the antique dealers and flea markets.
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Visit the village of Roussillon
This village with its shimmering colors is also worth a quick visit to lose yourself in its narrow streets (one of my favorite activities).
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The Ochre Trail
This site allows you to take a little walk on the path lined with multicolored ochres that winds through the Provençal Colorado, an ancient open-pit mine. It is really a visit not to be missed because the landscapes are truly impressive, and it’s also a very good spot for Instagram photos!
The Ochre Trail
Roussillon Village 84220 Roussillon
Open 7 days a week from mid-February to December 31st
Rates: €2.50 for adults / free for children under 10_
Go kayaking on the Sorgue
The circuit offered by Kayak Vert is truly great and very easy. You start from Fontaine-de-Vaucluse to arrive at L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, and from there, shuttles take you back to your starting point. The service includes equipment rental (kayak, life jackets, paddles, waterproof containers) and the return shuttle.
I strongly recommend doing this activity in a swimsuit because you will inevitably get wet at one point or another… Sunscreen, a hat, and shoes for walking in the water are also recommended, even though I did it barefoot and that works too. The Sorgue is a very cool river, and even in the middle of summer, putting your legs in the water quickly becomes very, very (too) invigorating.
Duration: count about 2h if you want to take your time (8 km)
A good idea: bring your picnic to have a little gourmet break on the banks halfway through the course
Kayak Vert Route de l'Isle Fontaine-de-Vaucluse Rates: between €12 and €17
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Visit the village of Gordes
Gordes is considered one of the most beautiful villages in France, and indeed, it is well worth the detour! By the way, it is located just above the valley that houses the Sénanque Abbey, which I mentioned in a previous article. The best way is still to wander through the narrow streets of the town, between the tall houses built directly into the rock, which form a true labyrinth of dry stones.
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Visit the Village of the Bories
Located right next to Gordes, this now uninhabited village is classified as a historic monument and features bories, these huts built of dry stones without mortar, whose architecture is typical of Mediterranean limestone plateaus. The origin of this construction technique dates back to the Neolithic, but the houses visible today on the site date back more to the 17th – 18th centuries. These bories were abandoned in the 19th century, and it took several years of restoration to subsequently present them to the public. In any case, it is a very nice place to visit in the region.
Village of the Bories Les Savournins 84220 Gordes Open every day from 9 a.m. to sunset (8 p.m. at the latest) Rates: €6 for adults / €4 for children (12-17 years old)
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My favorite addresses in the Luberon
My little selection of gourmet addresses tested and approved by me during this short stay in Provence.
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Hotel Restaurant *** Carcarille
A very beautiful place for a high-flying gourmet lunch on the lovely terrace of the establishment.
The little extra: a nice selection of regional wines (Luberon, Ventoux, Rhone Valley,…)
Price: menus starter + main + cheese or dessert at €45 / main + cheese or dessert at €35 / starter + main + cheese + dessert at €52
The tip: lunch bistro menu with starter + main + dessert for €26 / main + starter or dessert for €21
Hotel Restaurant *** Carcarille D2 – Les Gervais – 84220 Gordes
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Restaurant Carré d’Herbes
This restaurant has a very lovely terrace hidden in an antique dealers’ courtyard and also offers excellent cuisine.
Restaurant Carré d'Herbes
13 avenue des 4 Otages
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
Price: starter + main + dessert €33 (lunch and dinner) / market menu (weekday lunch) starter + main + dessert €19 / 7-course tasting menu €49_
Domaine de la Gasqui
This family winery offers organic wines (Grenache, Mourvèdre, Carignan, and Syrah grape varieties) whose harvest is still done by hand. If you go there to buy wine, you can also see a superb 18th-century bastide with a dovecote.
The tip: Jazz evenings at La Gasqui
Domaine de la Gasqui Saint-Antoine 526, chemin de la Gasqui 84800 L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
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Les Délices du Luberon
These Provençal products are made artisanally in the territory of the Pays des Sorgues: thionade, tapenade, anchovy cream, sun-dried tomato delight, sardinade, pistou, eggplant caviar… In short, it is the perfect place to do some shopping and bring back gourmet souvenirs from your time in the region.
Les Délices du Luberon Shop in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue 1 avenue du Partage des eaux 84800 L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Open 7 days a week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
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Thanks to Madame Vacances for this beautiful invitation, and I’ll take this opportunity to give a little nod to our wonderful team for this trip.
I hope that with all this I have made you want to discover the Luberon and the Provence Country Club residence by Madame Vacances, and if you, too, have your tips and great addresses for this destination, do not hesitate to share them in the comments!
Find all my articles on the Luberon in Provence below:
⇒ All my articles on the Luberon
⇒ All my articles on the PACA region
MY ARTICLES ON THE LUBERON
⇒ Luberon VTF Village (2015)
⇒ Discovery of Luberon wines (2016)
⇒ Provence Country Club Residence by Madame Vacances (2017)
⇒ Getaway in the Luberon (2019)
Photo credits: Mademoiselle Bon Plan with the Kodak PixPro AZ526 Photos not free of rights, permission from the photographer is required before any use
