Situated on the edge of the hamlet of Les Baux at the foot of majestic Mont Ventoux, and just 3km from the lively village of Bedoin with its cafes and restaurants, bakers and weekly market, our Provencal home, the Oustau du Ventoux and our gite, Les Enfantines, are surrounded by cherry orchards, vineyards, apricot and almond trees. They are in a wonderful spot to enjoy walking and cycling holidays around the picturesque hamlets and villages of the Vaucluse area of Provence. For those seeking a real challenge the cycling route to the top of Mont Ventoux can be joined just outside the hamlet. The Grand Randonée 91, a walking trail around Mont Ventoux is right on our doorstep as are many other more gentle countryside rambles. If total relaxation is what you crave then our peaceful garden provides the perfect place for chilling out, reading or snoozing under the shade of the oak tree, perhaps after a dip in the pool. In our hamlet Les Baux Mont Ventoux, le geant de Provence, dominates the landscape. Total calm reigns in Les Baux yet it is only 5 minutes by car from the centre of Bedoin. A haven of tranquility with a few dozen houses and a church which still opens for service every 5 weeks. Le Cigale, a bar and pizzeria with terrace overlooking the vineyards opens in the summer months. A 5-10 minute walk takes you to the site of Les Desmoiselles Coiffees, curious formations of red rock set amongst the trees and especially wonderful around sunset. There is a wine named after them which is also quite quaffable! Sainte Colombe One minute by car or a lovely 15 minute walk across the vineyards takes you to Sainte Colombe where there is an artisan bakery with a very old stone oven – the perfect place to get your daily bread. Aside croissants and baguettes they bake all sorts of delicious breads, many with grains such as quinoa and barley. There are also a couple of good restaurants in the village with nice bars so great for eating out locally and not having to drive. Bedoin Bedoin is a lively place with all the amenities you’d expect in a village inhabited all year round with activities held in the cultural centre and library. There are tennis courts and an open air pool too. As well as the weekly Monday market there is a local farmer’s market on Saturday evenings between May and September where you can buy the finest seasonal produce – olives, tapenades, goats cheeses, sausages, lavender honey to name but a few. These markets takes place in different villages in the Comtat Venaisin area and provide a chance for locals to meet and catch up over a Pastis or a local Cotes du Ventoux wine. Restaurants and local produce With 26 restaurants in the Bedoin area alone you are well served for eating out. Vegetarians are catered for better in some than others and we can advise on this. Self-catering is a joy with the array of delicious fresh produce to choose from at the weekly market in Bedoin and there are many local markets to visit most notably in Carpentras on a Friday where you can get anything you need from stalls that wind their way through the old town. The Carpentras truffle market is not to be missed if you are in the area over the winter and is renowned throughout France. Peter Mayle has written humourously about it in his books on life in Provence. There are many Cotes du Ventoux wines to try too and local domaines you can visit to savour the wine of the area! A bit further afield but still within 30mins or so you can visit some of the famous Côtes du Rhône villages such as Gigondas, Seguret and Vacqueyras where you can visit the vineyards and sample the wine from some of the top domaines. What to do in the surrounding area: Walk or cycle around the Mont Ventoux area. There are lots of walking paths to explore and in the height of summer, the oak, pine and moss paths known as the Garrigue will provide much needed shade. You could even enter the annual Mont Ventoux marathon in July, a mere 21.6km to the summit, recently completed by a young 80-something in under 4 hours! And you can also venture into nature on a guided walk with a donkey from Villes-sur-Auzon. About 6km away you can swim in the lake and picnic by the beach outside the village of Mormoiron. Carpentras (14kms away) has a compact old town and an historical synagogue. In addition to the Friday and seasonal truffle markets, Carpentras hosts a weekly Bricolage Sunday market where all sorts of bargains can be had. Magnificent hilltop villages such as Venasque and Gordes and not forgetting Sault, famous for its lavender fields are within 30 minutes or so. Vaison la Romaine also makes for an interesting day trip. Stop off in Malaucene en route and see Mont Ventoux from the other side. There are several bike shops here too as well as a tempting chocolate shop and lots of bars to choose from. For cultural activities the towns of Orange, Avignon, site of the Pope’s Palace, Arles, home of Van Gogh, and Nimes with its well preserved roman amphitheatre, are all within a 40-60 minute drive. Further afield Visit the villages perches of the Luberon – Menerbes, Lacoste, Bonnieux. Dramatic and spectacular. Lourmarin, where Algerian-born Albert Camus, author of L’Etranger is buried, is a lovely village to stroll around and has a good choice of restaurants. Roussillon with its stunning red and yellow ochre rock formations and nearby gorge are also worth a visit. Aix en Provence with its Cezanne museum has much to offer. Further on to the old port of Marseille or Cassis with its famous Calanques makes for a perfect trip to the Mediterranean and the harbour front lined with restaurants – sea urchins being a well-known delicacy around these parts.