La Tour des Anges - Two bedroom House Rental in Medieval Village Sablet, Provence

La Tour des Anges (the angels' tower) is a unique and beautifully renovated house built inside the medieval ramparts of the village of Sablet in Provence. It has been restored with taste and charm and fitted with all the modern facilities you would expect to find whilst retaining its authentic provençal character.

The house has been furnished in a traditional style, with many vintage pieces sourced by the owners at local antique markets such as the famous Isle sur la Sorgue. It is fitted throughout with high quality fixtures and appliances as well as wireless broadband, dvd player with a range of dvds, a telephone with free calls to European landlines, Hi-Fi in the living room with connection for iPod/mp3 player.

There are two generous double bedrooms:

The master bedroom has a beautiful view across the vineyards from the bed, a wicker sofa with cushions, an antique pine table and chair, a spacious wardrobe built with reclaimed windows. A doorway leads through to an en-suite bathroom housed inside the medieval watch tower, with a bath tub (with wonderful views out over the vineyards through the three arrow slits as you sit and soak!), a shower over the bath, a washbasin and toilet.

The second bedroom, which can be used as a twin, has a pretty antique writing bureau, a shower bult into the corner, a wash basin and plenty of hanging space in the alcove. Again, the lovely view over the vineyards can be seen from the bed! A hairdryer is supplied in each bedroom as well as lots of fluffy towels.

The bright, airy living room has a comfy sofa, two arm chairs, and a window seat with cushions, looking out over the vines. The impressive walls are a metre thick in places, which keeps the house lovely and cool in the summer and warm in winter. There is a stunning stone arch in the rampart wall of the living room, giving it a really ancient and rustic feel! There are bookshelves with plenty of holiday reading, a collection of restaurant guides and books of local interest for you to browse, a TV, DVD player with lots of DVDs, a Hi-Fi with connection for an iPod/mp3 player. The wood-burning stove is a cosy addition for chilly winter evenings (wood is provided). There is a second window looking out over the walled garden.

One of the owners is a chef, so the bright, spacious kitchen contains all the high quality utensils you may need, as well as a collection of classic cookery books in both French and English. The kitchen table sits four. A cold box, ice packs and picnic plates and cutlery are provided.

The large double doors of the kitchen open straight out into the pretty walled garden, with its vintage metal table and six chairs, a large parasol, Lafuma sun loungers and antique iron day-bed with a comfy mattress and lots of cushions. The garden is planted with lavender and herbs (help yourselves!), an old fig tree and two olive trees. There is a Weber gas-fired barbecue. Two old window-holes in the rampart wall provide views from the garden out over the valley with amazing sunsets!

There is a separate toilet /utility room with a washing machine.

About the Village

La Tour des Anges is tucked away in a quiet spot on the western side of the village, but all the bustle of the shops and amenities of the village are within a few paces, such as the bakers, butcher, mini-market, grocer, wine boutique, newsagent, chemist, stationer, florist, hairdressers as well as a post office and a bank with cashpoint. An excellent fresh fish stall and a fresh goats cheese maker visit the village on Thursday mornings.

In the main square, there is a traditional village bar, the perfect place to watch the world go by, or read the paper over your morning coffee and croissant. The bar also serves excellent 'Prix Fixe' lunches.There is also a relaxed family restaurant/pizzeria, "Les Remparts", with a large terrace and beautiful views.

Less than five minutes' walk from the house, near the town hall, or 'Mairie', is a gastronomic restaurant, "Les Abeilles". A little further, you will also find "Les Genêts", a simple restaurant housed in a family-run winery.

Within a few minutes' drive, there are many other restaurants - from simple establishments serving locally produced, traditional provençal dishes, to the Michelin starred "Le Grand Pré", for special occasions.

The main square also hosts the tourist office, or 'Syndicat d'Initiative', where you can find all the information you need about the village and about touring the local area, including detailed maps of marked trails straight from the village into the famous 'Dentelles de Montmirail' hills, suitable for both walkers and cyclists, and ranging from a gentle stroll to a six-hour hike.

The tourist office is also a showcase for the local independent wine-makers, who have made the village famous, and you can taste and buy their wines here.

Not to be missed is a visit to some of the local wineries, which are dotted all around Sablet and its outskirts, all of them happy to show you around and let you sample their wares. Many of them host events, from jazz nights to provençal picnics in the vines at sunset.

Sablet and Nearby

All year round there are events and festivals:

The 'Fête Votive', which takes place when the grapes have ripened and are nearly ready to be harvested, and lends the village a carnival atmosphere, with tables set up in the village square for an 'aïoli' dinner, followed by dancing.
There are frequent evening events at 'Le Gravillas', the village wine co-operative, with trestle tables put out for lengthy dinners in the shade of the trees, and plenty of wine flowing!
Live music and a simple fixed menu dinner at the bar usually takes place on Fridays, and draws young and old alike to the village square.
The 'Fête Votive', which takes place when the grapes have ripened and are nearly ready to be harvested, and lends the village a carnival atmosphere, with tables set up in the village square for an 'aïoli' dinner, followed by dancing.

Walking, Climbing, Cycling - There are marked trails straight from the village into the famous 'Dentelles de Montmirail' hills, suitable for both walkers and cyclists, and ranging from a gentle stroll to a six-hour hike.

There is an equestrian centre in nearby Gigondas (three kilometres away) from which you can go trekking with ponies or horses through vineyards and shady wooded trails.

There is an open-air public pool 10 minutes' drive away in the local town of Vaison-la-Romaine, open in the summer.The nearest beaches on the Mediterranean are approximately an hour's drive. There is a covered pool in Orange, 20 minutes' drive and open all the year round.

Wine Tasting - Sablet is in the heart of the Rhône Valley. The village has an excellent wine co-operative, Le Gravillas, as well as many world-renowned independant wine-makers. The first stop is the 'Syndicat d'Initiative' or Tourist Office, which sells the wines of many of the independent growers and can give details of where the different wineries are.
The Domaine de Piaugier, one of the village's top wineries, offers picnics in the vines, with views over the village, with a tasting of their range of wines accompanied by a traditional provençal meal - a really special event! 
Three kilometers to the south of Sablet lies the world famous wine village of Gigondas - well worth a visit, both for its wines and for its pretty streets. Vacqueyras, another well known name in Côtes du Rhone, is another three kilometers beyond. Beaumes de Venise, famous for its sweet Muscat wines, but also producing some very good reds, is 10 minutes' drive away, and Châteauneuf du Pape approximately 15 minutes' drive. All the wineries welcome visitors and you can taste before you buy.

Sablet's location provides a perfect base for exploring Provence as there are places to visit in all directions!