Welcome to Bastide des Launes!

Welcome to the Bastide des Launes website, where you will find information about the Bastide, the amenities, its surroundings, and how to book. Please click on the relevant entry above for more information.

The Bastide des Launes is a charming 400 year old Provencal country house situated in the scenic southern Drôme countryside on the edge of the picturesque village of Chamaret with its distinctive medieval tower (a useful aid to any lost traveller!). The village is surrounded by sun drenched Provencal countryside including lavender fields, vineyards and truffle trees with magnificent views in all directions including one of Mont Ventoux.

The local village is just a 3 minute stroll away and there you will find the "Tour de Chamaret" a medieval watch tower built to warn the fortified "Chateau de Grignan" of unwelcome guests. Nowadays the village is more accommodating to visitors and boasts a bar, fruit & vegetable stall, baker and post office. It is worth pointing out that the photos on Google Earth were taken some time ago and the bakers is in full working order following its external works! We are now on Facebook where there are more photographs and some wonderful 360 degree photos of the Bastide, Truffle and Stable Gites created by Dave Epps, the address is here: http://www.facebook.com/bastidedeslaunes.

In the local area the stunning Chateau de Grignan dominates the view, with its narrow streets, high walls and monastery, all of which are open to the public. Gringan has a lively artistic colony with many galleries and workshops in its narrow twisting lanes. The Roman amphitheatre in the town of Orange and the famous "Pont d'Avignon" are all within an hour’s drive of the Bastide des Launes. Further afield but within the reach of a day trip are the beaches of the Mediterranean, the famous Roman aqueduct "Le Pont du Gard" and the spectacular villages of Gordes and Roussillon..

We are in the middle of the Rhone wine area, and some of France's finest vineyards are within easy reach, with Hermitage, Crozes Hermitage, Cornas and St Joseph just an hour North of here, and Chateauneuf du Pape, Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Rasteau, Cairanne, Sablet and Seguret half that time, to the south. Andrew is an expert on Rhone wines and is always pleased to offer advice, particularly over a bottle of Cairanne red! In addition there are several award winning vineyards within a few minutes drive of the Bastide and we will be pleased to point you in their direction. In the months of March, April, May, September, October and November Andrew will be available to do week long wine tours of this area. During the months of June, July and August Andrew will be able to do the occasional day or half day tour. Andrew has many years’ experience of the local vineyards and so is equipped to take you to some of the best in the Southern Rhone region. We have a Toyota Verso car which can accommodate 1 driver and up to 6 guests, so you would not have to worry about drinking and driving. The accommodation used for these holidays would be the Coeur de Village and the Stable or Truffle gites. The combination of two of these gites gives sufficient bedrooms and living area for up to 6 adults. In the evenings meals could be arranged either at local restaurants, or within your own gites by yourselves, or by using the services of our friend Jen to deliver a meal to your door. The cost for these holidays would be the normal cost of the gites plus a cost per day of £140 for Andrew’s services and the price of your own food. If you wish for more details please contact us using our normal booking form and we will email these to you.

Enjoy your holiday by visiting some of the weekly markets, potteries and art galleries and, during the summer, various open-air festivals. Avignon and Carpentras both have festivals for most of July. Go riding at the local stables, borrow our bicyles (no charge) to explore the small local villages and countryside, play golf at 2 nearby courses, watch the wildlife in the local woods/river, or you could just laze by the side of our large swimming pool. We service the pool and clean the surrounding terraces each day. We are always available in case of any issues that arise as we reside in the Bastide, or in the case of a whole house let at our other house in the village. In the case of a whole house let you would have exclusive use of the pool. The area is also excellent for walking and cycling, although these are activities that more suit the weather in March, April, May or September, October, November.

If guests just want a lazy week by the pool a chauffeur service from the seven nearest airports (Nimes, Marseille, Avignon, Montpellier, Chambery, Grenoble & Lyon) is available, subject to availability. Also, collection from Avignon train station is possible. There is a direct Eurostar train to Avignon from London during the summer months. Avignon can also be reached with flights from Birmingham, Exeter, Southampton, London City and Birmingham during the summer months. It is also worth noting that from December to April it is possible to get cheap flights to Grenoble and Chambery. If you want our information sheet about flights to our nearest airports please send a request via our Booking Enquiry. It is possible to provide an evening meal on the day of your arrival, this and collection from an airport/station would incur an additional cost. We welcome dogs to the Truffle Gite and in the case of whole house lets to the Bastide. Regrettably because of the newly laid parquet flooring in the Coeur du Village we do not allow dogs in that accommodation.