Archival
10/10 Excellent
john z.
7 May 2016
Loved it!!!
We had a fantastic time at his charming recently-renovated stone home in Navacelles! The house is very comfortable and we especially liked that it is built right out of the local rock. The bedrock actually forms one of the walls in the salon which is neat. The two larger bedrooms have their own showers (the toilet is in its own small room down the hallway). All the showers are in good shape. The kitchen is new and modern with a large fridge.
The garden is surrounded by 20 foot high stone walls and has a lot of privacy. We really liked long dinners outside in the warm nights and appreciated the gas barbecue grill! The village is small and quiet. It does not have shops or cafes. Fortunately, every morning, a local delivery of fresh bread (croissants, pain au chocolate, etc) arrives. She usually stops right behind the gate to the garden. Very convenient!
The pool (which is about 50 meters away down a small path) is really beautiful and surrounded by trees and flowers. The small pool house also has a nice shower and small fridge which we enjoyed.
Near Navacelles there are many small villages a short drive away that are worth visiting. We especially like lunch in Lussan, a medieval walled hill-top village (14 KM) and visiting Uzes (20 minutes). Rochegude (10 minutes), a small village with a ruined castle was good for an afternoon outing. Anduze (~30-40 minutes) is another village with a stunning setting. The casino in Les Fumades (3 km) is amusing and has a decent bar if you get tired of all the peace and quiet. They also have a take-out pizza place. Avignon is about an hour away. Arles is an hour and 15 minutes or so. Beyond villages, there are also a lot hiking trails all around, some of which start right at the north end of the village (although they can be difficult to find). We visited ruined 11th century fortresses on Mont Bouquet (~5km) and also at Allegre les Fumades (~8km or so). There is also a great view from Mont Bouquet and worth a quick drive.
Definitely recommended for families who want a whole house with a fun pool to themselves and want to unwind in the slow life of a small village! Also good as a base from which to explore the region. Would go back for sure.