6-bed house with heated pool in Apt Luberon

This spacious villa provides comfortable accommodation for up to 12 people (2-3 more by arrangement) set in 3,300 sq m of grounds. Located in the hills above Apt there are superb views of Saignon, one of the most beautiful villages in the Luberon. The grounds have mature trees which offer shade and seclusion. A separate building near the pool provides accommodation for two with their own en-suite. In 2018 we added a boulodrome for petanque. For 2019 we have provided heating for the pool and an automatic ph/chlorine control for the pool water. The pool is heated from the end of April to the end of October. Although located very close to the centre of Apt the house is an oasis of calm, in a beautiful, tranquil location. Historic Apt, with its famous Saturday market and wide range of shops, is ten minutes’ walk away. The most famous villages of the Luberon - Bonnieux, Lacoste, Roussillon, Gordes etc - are typically within 20 minutes’ drive. Isle-sur-la-Sorgue with its Sunday market, is 35 minute away and the historic towns of Avignon (50 mins) and Aix-en-Provence (c 1 hour) only a little further. The nearest major seaside town on the Mediterranean (Cassis) is about 90 minutes. The lane by the house is at the start of a designated walk into the Luberon hills (joining a Grand Randonnée). Apt itself is at the centre of a purpose-built cycle track which follows the old railway line along the Luberon valley. This provides c 25 kilometers of flat cycling - perfect for families. Some bikes are provided. Beautiful cycling is available along the Luberon hills, in sight of Le Mont Ventoux. The house is of a good size (200 sq m) and comfortably accommodates 12 people. The bedrooms are all of a decent size (13–17 sq m). The garden is more than 3000 sq m in area and is divided naturally into separate sections which provide opportunities for quiet and relaxation, as well as play. Some seating is provided around the garden. Upstairs there is a large living/dining room (37 q m). The dining table seats 12 and the living area has two sofas, chair and a TV. There is a balcony outside which is accessed by two sets of doors from the living–dining area, as well as from the kitchen. The south-facing balcony enjoys stunning views towards Saignon and benefits from some shade offered by the mature trees in the garden. At the end of the balcony there are stairs down to the outside dining area and the pool. There are six bedrooms in total, each sleeping two. Five are in the main house with a further bedroom (with its own en-suite) in a recently renovated stone building near the pool. In total there are 2 double beds and 8 single beds. In the downstairs living room there is a covetible sofa which can provided extra sleeping space, and one of the beds in the 2nd upstairs bedroom can also be converted to a double. The middle bedroom downstairs is accessed from either of the adjacent bedrooms, so is suitable for children. All the bedrooms are of a decent size and the beds are new and have good mattresses. All bed linen and bathroom towels are provided within the price. Air conditioning is provided in the two upper bedrooms and the main living-dining room. (The rooms downstairs are naturally cooler.) Downstairs at the front there is another living room with a sofa and TV. This is perfect for children to enjoy or to provide quiet enjoyment for adults. The sofa can be converted as a sofa-bed to provide more bed space by arrangement. (There is a chest of drawers in this room for clothes, but no wardrobe.) The kitchen, through its rear window, has a view towards Mont Ventoux. Breakfast can be enjoyed on the balcony outside from which you have fabulous views of Saignon. The kitchen itself is well equipped with an induction hob, single oven, microwave, dishwasher and large fridge freezer. There is a Nespresso machine, cafetière, toaster, kettle, (and teapots and mugs!). The washing machine and drier are in the downstairs shower-room. The main house has two bathrooms and separate WCs, one on each floor. The upstairs bathroom has recently been entirely refurbished and has a large walk-in shower and bath with a hand-spray. Downstairs there is a shower cubicle together with wash basin. That room also houses the washing machine and dryer. There is a further en-suite with shower cubicle and WC in the stone house in the garden. The pool is 10m x 5 m and is alarmed. It has a deep end as well as steps down at the shallow end. There are 10-12 sun loungers and parasols by the pool. The outdoor dining table seats 18 or more people overlooking the pool and nestling under three mulberry trees. The terrace benefits from views over the pool towards Saignon and the Luberon. There is a barbecue. The rear sections of the garden provide some children’s playthings, a table tennis table and badminton facilities. There is a boules court in the front garden to play boules/ pétanque . There are two TVs, with cable / satellite, a DVD player and wireless internet access. The internet connection is full fibre and is extremely fast. The mobile phone reception in the house is good, unlike many more remote locations in the Luberon. We have been coming to the Luberon for the past 25 years, mostly renting gites and more recently larger properties with friends. We have learnt to appreciate the advantages of a house like ours which meets a number of disparate needs. Teenagers can make their own way into town which is only ten minutes’ walk away (down a steep hill). Adults can do the same and avoid what can become a tyranny of having to drive everywhere to get shopping or a coffee. Apt, as the capital of the Luberon, retains a genuine charm and year-round life, whilst hosting the most famous and busiest market in the Luberon. You will have the option of visiting the market on Saturday mornings whilst avoiding the traffic jams and parking problems! Apt has a small established cinema, shops and stalls selling organic produce, and the continued thriving of a dispaarate range of stores. There are also some great clothes and jewellry shops! Being at the centre of the Luberon you can also more easily explore the villages further along the Vaucluse valley and major recreation sites nearby such as the Colorado Provencale ochre hills where such things as tree-walking can be enjoyed. The area is great for cycling with serious routes between the villages and a long, level cycle path following the old train route from Coustellet through Apt and up into the valley for several miles. We have 4 bicycles available for guests at present. Bicycles can also be hired in Apt. Other activities include canoeing & kayaking (Isle-sur-la-Sorgue etc); tree-walking (zip-wires) Le Colorado Provençal at Rustrel and Lagnes; cliff climbing at Buoux ; and golf – there is an excellent golf-course near Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. Full details of the village markets, sites to see and other activities will be provided in our guide to the house.