 |
|
The
wonderful 180° view of the Luberon from every room in La Forteresse,
looking due south.
|
|
Stunning
rental home at the top of Menerbes For two, in an unbeatable Provence location |
| La Forteresse is a unique Provence vacation rental property - it is part of the history of Menerbes dating back at least to medieval times; it is also a beautifully furnished, very comfortable rental home with WiFi, an unbeatable location and view. |
|
|
 |
 |
| Sumptuous bedroom with queen bed. | Looking out of the living room window. |
|
La Forteresse is perched high on the ancient rampart walls of Menerbes, looking across at the Luberon mountain opposite, with the valley's vineyards and orchards straight down below at the foot of the village. Here, along the top of Menerbes, all the houses look like they have a long and fascinating history, and as you step into La Forteresse upstairs, the feeling of the richness of the past follows you into the living room. |
 |
 |
| Living room with open fireplace. | Looking from the fireplace towards the kitchen. |
| This is a surprisingly large space with open fireplace. There are ancient tiles on the floor, a ceiling of exposed beams, 18th century fabric and antique furniture all around. This is a very welcoming, cosy room. The large double windows give you a superb view of the Luberon mountain across the way. There is free high-speed, wireless internet. |
|
Through an arch you pass into the kitchen/dining room, another beautifully proportioned room. The dining chairs are thickly upholstered and comfortable, the crockery notably more refined than you will see in other vacation rentals. The sink is made from an ancient stone worn from centuries of use. The view is still the same, the mountain and the vineyards, as it has been since waves of invading armies first shaped the defensive, elevated nature of the village. |
|
 |
 |
Through arched French windows you step from the kitchen to the outside patio, where a rustic table and chairs under a trellis and shade provide a spectacular view at any time of day. A place to breakfast in the golden light of morning, or dine under the stars. |
|
The
patio is big enough for meals or just sitting with a book, and has the
same wonderful view as the rest of the house.
|
|
Facing south, the sun rises to the left of the mountain, and sets to the right, and you can enjoy the ever-changing light through the day, from every room in the house. |
 |
 |
| The bedroom is long, vaulted and cool in the summer. At one end is the queen-size bed, at the other the three singles. |
| La Forteresse sleeps 2 adults (the house is not suitable for children). The bedroom, a splendid vaulted room, is long and split into two parts either side of the stairway. On one side is a sumptuous bed and en suite bathroom, and on the other, separated by curtains, are three single beds. |
 |
Running the length of the bedroom, within the outside wall, is a sentry's corridor (pictured left). This is a fascinating relic of medieval times, when sentries would keep an eye out for invaders during the wars of religion that swept this region. In 1577-78, Menerbes was famous nationwide for withstanding an army of 12,000 for 14 months, with a defending force of just 1,000. This was the longest siege in all the wars of religion, and Menerbes emerged from it with glory attached to its name. Archaeologists are unsure what role this house played, but in the ceiling of the bedroom there hangs a tantalising clue - a hook that may have been used for hanging food. One modern-day benefit of the sentry's corridor - along with the thick stone walls, this extra 'insulation' keeps the house nice and cool even in midsummer. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| The bathroom is comfortable and well equipped, but totally in keeping with the historical feel of the house. |
| En suite to the bedroom is the bathroom with bath, overhead shower, a beautiful stone basin and WC. There is also a roomy closet dug into the rock. |
 |
Views
from the house - left along the rampart wall of Menerbes; and to the
right down the valley to where the sun sets.
|
 |
| This is a totally peaceful, quiet part of Menerbes beyond which are just the 14th century church and one of the best placed final resting places in all of France. But it is only a 3-minute walk down to the life of the village with its shops and restaurants. |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Scenes
from Menerbes, a calm hill-top village with a lively core and a lot
of history.
|
|
Menerbes is one of the incredibly picturesque, hill-top villages of Provence (known as 'perched villages' in French). Like its neighbours Gordes, Bonnieux, Lacoste, Lourmarin, Roussillon, etc. Menerbes is a member of the association 'The Most Beautiful Villages in France'. The village has always attracted painters and writers. Picasso installed his mistress in the village, and Peter Mayle wrote 'A Year in Provence' here. See more of Menerbes by clicking here. For other Provence rental properties nearby, go here: Luberon Rentals |
 |
 |
|
|
|
Contact
Details
|
|
To
enquire about renting La Forteresse, or for any other questions, please
email: |
|
If
you cannot see the email link above the address is forteresse,
then @, then theluberon.com
|
|
For
other Provence rental properties nearby, go here: Luberon
Rentals
|
|