About Provence
Provence - Vaucluse regional description
To many people, Provence is the dream they are chasing when they think of France and for most people the dream of true Provence is that offered by the interior. There is no denying that the coastline is beautiful but the real Provence is only experienced in the forests, vineyards and lavender fields of the hinterland. At Healey Fox we specialise in properties in Vaucluse, which we believe offers the very best of Provence. From the banks of the Rhône river in the west of the department to the foothills of the Alps in the east, this is a stunning Mediterranean landscape, cloaked in cypress trees, olive groves and hillsides covered in sweet smelling herbs. Owning a property in Vaucluse will allow you to enjoy a traditional Provençal way of life in this amazing corner of the south of France. Being in the hinterland of Provence most of the properties in Vaucluse enjoy lovely views of the Alps with the special Mont Ventoux never being far away. It’s presence lends a magical feel to the area and its peak covered in shimmering white limestone always makes one look twice to make sure that It hasn’t been snowing overnight! There are small modern properties, old village houses and lovely traditional detached farmhouses and a budget of €250,000 gives you a good choice of houses to buy in Vaucluse.
Vaucluse - a department of contrasts
Apart from the wonderful Mediterranean feel the department Vaucluse is renowned for its cherry and apricot orchards which flourish abundantly on the Rhône river plain in the west of the area. It’s a wonderful experience to drive through the orchards on your way to Mont Ventoux. Leaving behind the heat of the plains in high summer with temperatures in the mid 30’s and arriving at the top of Mont Ventoux only half an hour later is an almost surrealistic experience. Dressed for summer and arriving in freezing conditions at the top you are forced to rush from the car park to the mountain auberge to warm up with a welcome fondue and a glass of mulled wine. With such a diverse landscape there is certainly something for everyone to enjoy in Vaucluse. Life takes place in the village squares where it is pretty essential to enjoy a glass of Pastis in the region of France in which it was first produced. Sipping Pastis in a pavement cafe where the scent of tissane trees mingles with the perfume of lavender, you can be in no doubt that you have finally arrived in Provence. All you need to do now is to choose from the many Vaucluse properties our partner agents offer and then your dream will have come true.
The Mediterranean experience
For special days out it is hard to beat Fontaine-de-Vaucluse and Avignon. The Avignon festival, which precedes the Edinburgh one, is just as lively, maybe even more off-the-wall and certainly sunnier and warmer than its Scottish counterpart. For a big evening out, the opera in the open air Roman amphitheatre in Orange is a must. Apart from these special towns there are numerous charming small market towns and villages where the stalls overflow with local produce, bright red peppers, juicy tomatoes, olives,courgette flowers, fragrant herbs and, of course, peaches, apricots, cherries and nectarines. Healey Fox have four partner agent offices selling property in northern Vaucluse covering the area from the Roman town of Vaison-la-Romaine to Nyons. Both these towns are full of interesting sights, rivers and markets and the villages around offer beautiful architecture, but then everything would look beautiful in the climate of the south of France, 300 days of sunshine each year, what a treat.
