After escaping their urban lifestyle, Serge and Lucile were dreaming of getting back in touch with nature. In 2006, this former firm manager and creator, discovered an ancient 18th century sheepfold  that would give them the opportunity to realise their wish: welcoming their friends and guests in a small paradise of comforts.

Keeping in mind the age-old history of the their building, Serge and Lucile recreated, on the 30,000 m2 of their park, the lavender field that gave its name to the estate. They also like to tell the story of the bicentennial white oaks, resembling willows, surrounding their house, their little branches and soft leaves having been pruned so often over the years to add to goats' feed.

Expect something new every year: in the spring of 2010, a garden of ancient roses will bloom and the Parfum Bleu will offer its guests the opportunity to meet lavender farmers, goat cheese artisans, potters and even wine-growers.  In summer, string quartets will come to play and remind us - like the cello fountain that lights up in blue at night - of the owners' musical preferences. A beautiful place that also keeps a Provençal donkey and a pony, two charming residents that will delight children.

Information: http://www.parfum-bleu.com

Le Parfum Bleu
Serge & Lucile FISNOT-ROCHON
F- 26230 Chantemerle-lès-Grignan
Tél : 00 33 (0)4 75 98 54 21 - 06 69 02 73 26
Photo: Le parfum bleu

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Who would guess that behind this big gate hides a beautiful manor, dating back to the 19th century?  In the heart of Nyon, a few steps from the famous provençal market, it rises proud and solitary in the middle of a beautiful garden where mediterranean essences abound.

Hotel or House?  More of a house, or rather a home, as Valérie and Raphaël Leroy welcome you like friends. Ten rooms, and not one more, to make sure you feel like you're in paradise.  A bench nestled in the shade of lime trees; a swimming pool between cypresses and arbours; the scents of aromatic plants distilled by a steam bath. And then there is the kitchen, the heart of the house: on the stove a chicken and orange bouillabaisse sings, the foies gras wait patiently to be dressed, surrounded by the region's jewels: Beaumes de Venise, Gigondas, Vacqueyras or Châteauneuf du Pape. Inevitably, then, you linger in the garden. You even dine there by candlelight, and only once the evening has trickled away do you return to your rooms, softly, so as not to wake Giono's ghost resting here!

Once upon a time there was an old mill that had been owned by the same family for generations. A long line of millers was interrupted by a grandfather who was allergic to flour!  The family then turned to wine production. Abandoned, the mill found its second youth only in 2003 when Pascal Broussard, representative of the fifth generation, and his wife Marilyne, decided to renovate the residence. Set in a 5-hectare park planted with aromatic plants, fruit trees and oaks with truffles, the mill today has five beautiful rooms. A lovely river that crosses the property, a large swimming pool, a terrace shaded by hundred-year-old trees, a warm welcome and services to ensure your well-being: the Moulin de Champdurand is as comfortable and enjoyable as it is endearing. To experience in Suze la Rousse, in the heart of Provencal Drôme.

Information and contact: http://www.moulindechampdurand.com

Le Moulin de Champdurand,
Marilyne & Pascal BROUSSARD
Champdurand
F- 26790 - SUZE-LA-ROUSSE
Tél : + 33 (0)4.75.98.87.59 Port. : +33 (0)6.06.40.24.58
Photo: Moulin de Champdurand

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It was a passion for decoration, and for gardens and roses, that moved Manon Mercet to open her own guest house in Suze la Rousse. A sure skill in the handling of drills, saws and screwdrivers prompted her to look for an old building to restore. And a liking for the sunny markets of provençal Drôme, for its golden light and its generous cuisine, led this native of Grenoble to settle down in 2004 and transform this building that would become « La Loubine ».

A process of renovation that respected the authenticity of the place and gave room for an imaginative use of colour, a choice of local materials, silken fabrics, and a dream of a relaxing pool in the middle of a beautiful, peaceful garden: in this way La Loubine was born from the hands of its creator. She also incorporated two of her other passions: old or used objects obtained from second-hand dealers and a cuisine with Provençal flavours. It's a place that radiates harmony and makes you feel like prolonging your lounging in a teak deck chair, daydreaming.

Information and contact :  www.loubine.com

La Loubine
Tél. : +33 (0)6 33 62 87 19 / +33(0)4 26 51 62 45
Route de Sainte Cécile les Vignes
F- 26790 Suze La Rousse
Photo: Flore Palix

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