Le Pigeonnier

Ah Lourmarin, you old charmer! How you’ve dressed yourself up—what a pretty Provençal village! With your medieval castle, your picture-postcard alleyways, your fountains and your secluded squares—it’s as if you’d stepped straight out of a movie set and were just out to turn your visitors’ heads. You sit in one of the little cafés with a glass of rosé or pastis in your hand, feeling so wonderfully French and dreaming of a life in this enchanting corner of France. One person who has made this dream come true is the architect Manfred Eichmann. Together with his wife, who fell madly in love with the area while passing through, he bought a dilapidated tower on the edge of the village and created an idyllic and extraordinary vacation home for his family directly opposite the castle. And hurrah! One of the three floors can be rented for your own vacations. The loft-like space in Provençal design with individual details has everything you need for vacation happiness, including a balcony with a fantastic view of the castle, garden and Lubéron. Here you sit, enveloped in the delicate scent of herbs and lavender, listening to Edith Piaf singing softly from the host’s apartment downstairs, feeling flooded with contentment, thinking that this is exactly what it must always feel like—summer in France.

WHAT WE LIKE MOST:

• The great building with history: The 16th century tower belonged to the Château of Lourmarin and in former times housed the castle’s own pigeons.
• The special experience of living in a round tower
• The spacious and bright room with additional gallery level
• The large pool with a beautiful view of the village
• The unique personal details such as wall paintings and sculptures, which belong to the hostess.
• The beautiful built-in balcony to have breakfast, drink wine, read and look at the landscape.
• The beautiful Mediterranean garden with cypresses, herbs, almond and fig trees—and complete with its own vineyard.
• The very charming owner, who is happy to help with everything and offers one or two personal tips (and a glass of red wine)
• The location: A short and pretty picturesque walk takes you to the village in a flash.

GOOD TO KNOW:

• In the apartment, there’s a small kitchenette with a fridge and two hotplates—not suitable for elaborate cooking sessions.
• The host lives on the first floor during the summer. 
• There are so many pretty villages around—highly recommendable, for example, are Bonnieux, Cucuron, Roussillon, Buoux and Lacoste. Many have very nice weekly markets; in Lourmarin, it’s always on Fridays.
• Other worthwhile destinations: Aix-en-Provence (approx. 30 kilometers), Avignon with the papal palace (around 60 kilometers), Marseille (around 70 kilometers), Arles (around 80 kilometers), the national park Lubéron with its fantastic nature, bathing beaches near Marseille (around 80 kilometers), Cassis and the Calanques (around 90 kilometers)
• A good location for those who like to eat: There are many excellent restaurants nearby—some of them also have Michelin star(s).
• Other possible activities: Mountain bike tours, hiking, climbing, horseback riding, art and culture
• Because of the steep stairs and the open gallery level the apartment isn’t suitable for small children.
• The water in the pool is not treated with chlorine, but with magnesium. This not only eliminates the smell of chlorine and burning eyes, magnesium even has a caring and relaxing effect.