The Bastide de la Source

The Bastide La Source (The Spring) is part of the domain Le Pont (The Bridge) which is inhabitated by two French families besides us. It belongs to the community of Saint Saturnin les Apt with all of its shopping opportunities. La Source is 2 km from the village centre, 8 km from the nearest small town Apt and about 50 km east of Avignon and north of Aix en Provence. Saint Saturnin nestles into the southern slopes of the more than 1000m high plateau of the Vaucluse. From this point you can gaze over lavender fields to Mont Ventoux whereas from the valley you see the mountain range of the Great Luberon with its highest mountain Mourre Negre (1111m). The wide, hilly valley which we live in between the two mountain ranges belongs to the national park Luberon and is of extraordinary beauty. All the attractions of Provence are gathered here : vineyards, orchards, lavender fields, picturesque mountain villages that are full of life in the season ( like Gordes, Roussillon, Lacoste), and quiet hamlets, ochre rocks, gorges, the untouched scenery of the Garrigue.
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e-mail   Telefon: +33 (0)4 90 74 51 73 or +33 (0)6 76 49 02 83

Contents

^{Culture & Contact
House & Garden
Surroundings
Guest Rooms
Group Lets
Holiday Courses
Special offers: Excursions, Walks, Guided City Tours
Food / Catering
Getting Here}

CULTURE & CONTACT

Culture & Contact is directed by Astrid Schmeda (qualified pedagogue, qualified psychologist, psychotherapist and writer) and Gerhard Stange (pedagogue for adult education, body psychotherapist and translator). For more than 25 years we have been active in adult education. Since 1997 we have lived in Provence and we founded Culture & Contact here. In the summer of 2006 the Bastide de Font D’Izières in Vers was sold where we welcomed guests and offered courses for about nine years.

In our new guest house La Source we again organize holiday courses for painting, literature and creativity, the history and countryside of Provence.
Singles, couples and families can also spend their holidays without any program. Groups can follow their own ideas and activities or profit from our knowledge of the region and include our recommendations into their excursions, walks or cycle tours. We organize exhibitions, concerts and readings.
Culture & Contact offers the possibility for a special way of travelling where we support you to explore the new surroundings, its inhabitants and their way of life and traditions with respect and interest and to get to know the history, the culture and the specialities of the region while never losing contact to yourself. In the house and garden there is enough space to withdraw and relax on your own, to paint, write, read … or to join groups, to learn, to follow creative interests.
Our library offers French and German literature, art and reference books, children’s and youth literature, furthermore musical instruments and games and can thus stimulate many activities.

HOUSE & GARDEN

La Source is the biggest and oldest house of the Domain Le Pont, which probably was built in 
the middle of the 19th century. In 1909 the owner divided it amongst his children. Our property was bought in 1927 by the parents of our vendor who is meanwhile nearly ninety.They had cows, grew wine, cherries and truffles and bred silkworms in the attic.We have called this building, which we bought on the 3rd of January 2007, La Source because a piece of land belongs to it which includes a spring. Its water feeds the well and the reservoir in front of the house as well as the water pipes of all occupants and the natural pool. Of course there have always been discussions over the water, just like in Marcel Pagnol’s Manon de la Source (Water of the hills).
Following the handwritten rules of 1909 which are still valid, the way around the house, the 
well and the place around it and the reservoir are commonly used. In front of that lies our own
property with lawn, seats and a natural pool (5x10m). In front of the house you can play boules. We have our own parking.
The domain is situated quietly, surrounded by vineyards, cherry orchards and paddocks.
As our house La Source has not been lived in for thirty years it needs extensive restoration so that we can only open in March 2008.
For holiday guests the house has one flat on the 1st floor ( 2 spacious attic rooms, 2 bathrooms and a small kitchen) for 4 persons, as well as 4 rooms for 1-2 persons with adjoining bathrooms. There is a terrace with a summer kitchen.
For groups the house offers place for 10 to 12 people.
On the ground floor is the library and a hall for group activities.
The house has central heating and can also be used between-seasons.

SURROUNDINGS

Saint Saturnin lès Apt (2300 inhabitants) can easily be reached by bike or on foot on a slightly upward going road (2 km). Bakery, butcher’s, grocer’s, chemist’s, doctors, pubs, restaurants and a weekly market cover all necessities. Above the village are the ruins of an old castle with a chapel from the 11th century. The splendid facades, portals and wells from the 18th century give the village a special note.The mill on the rock that can be seen from far away is the symbol of the village. From here many paths are possible into the mountains of the Vaucluse.

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Roussillon (6km) lies on steep ochre rocks which were once used for the extraction of pigments. The quarry can be visited and leads to an eldorado of colours and rock formations. Less known but equally worth visiting is the Colorado de Rustrel (10km ), former ochre quarries with different foot paths.
Apt (8km) a gaul-roman foundation from the first century BC today has 11.000 inhabitants. The long-stretched town with its roman cathedral and the clock tower is the capital of ochre and candied fruit. The Saturday market takes place in all the streets and places.

If you move south about 10km you reach the hamlet of Saignon which is built on a rock, visible from far away and to the lavender plantations of the Claparèdes plateaus. You can visit the beautiful villages of the Luberon Bonnieux, Lacoste, Oppède and Ménerbes or you drive a little further through the gorges of the Luberon to Lourmarin, where Camus lies buried. Less known and more quiet are east of Apt the villages of the Vaucluse Caseneuve, Viens and more to the northeast Jean Gionos’ mountainous country with Oppédette, Simiane la Rotonde and Banon.

Sault  765m high, 30km north of Saint Saturnin, is the capital of lavender. In August they have the big festival of lavender here, but the place is also worth a visit at other times.
Avignon (50km) with its complete citywall and the impressive Palace of the Pope houses in its walls many different historical quarters and is very popular during the theatre festival in July.
L’Isle sur la Sorgue (30km) an island surrounded by the river Sorgue is well-known for its Sunday antiques market and has also many antique shops. So not only Sunday is interesting, a walk through the ancient parts and along the waterways with the old paddle wheels is very enjoyable.
Aix en Provence (50km), the most beautiful town of Provence, has been a university place since 1409 and that still coins its young character. Facades, alleys and fountains from the 17th and 18th century give it its elegance. Aix is also the town of the painter Paul Cézanne, the nearby massiv of Sainte Victoire has been captured by him in many outstanding paintings.
The beautiful town of Giono, Manosque (40km) and the impressive gorges of Verdon are worth a visit.
The Mediterranean Sea with its beaches west of Marseille (Carry le Rouet) are 85km away.
Marseille is nearer, it’s worth more than one visit and is 75km away. East of Marseille are La Ciotat and Cassis, places you can visit for their beaches and further attractions in about 100 km distance.
The airport of Marseille, Marignane, is 75 km away.

Guest Rooms

A summer kitchen on the terrace belongs to the rooms.

There is the library with a fireplace available. It is equipped with French and German literature, art books, children’s and youth literature, musical instruments and games.
We make bicycles available.

Pets are not accepted. (For dogs exceptions after consultation)

Vacation rental prices for the guest room

Groups

We rent to groups of up to 8 persons (2009: 12 people) in double rooms, by individual rooms  the number is reduced accordingly.

The groups may use the library.

From 2009: The group room (parquet flooring, 45m2) is suited for dance, music, yoga, therapy and training. There are tables and chairs, gymnastics mats, seat cushions and meditations rack. The group room has a kitchen corner.

We make bicycles available to our guests  and develop bicycle and hiking trails.

Pets are not accepted.

The groups can book half-board (7x breakfast, 5x dinner at the evenings)

TARIFFS FOR GROUPS

Per person and day:

Minimum stay one week
At shorter stay prices on appointment

Tariffs for Food: to see "Food / Catering"

Holiday Courses

5.9. – 12.9.
Walks and Talks
To be a stranger
Walking through the countryside of the Luberon in Provence, the opportunity to  to make themselves empty from daily chatter of thought. Silence helps in relationship to the nature that surrounds us. At rest, picnics and in the evening we dedicate ourselves to thinking in conversations: What is strange to us, how we react to this? How we behave to strangers, and how it is, even if we are stanger?
Good food from organically grown completes the day.
Line: Astrid Schmeda


17.10. – 24.10.
Excursions, sightseeing, wine tasting
Wine landscapes from the mountains to the sea
The different soil of the variety of landscapes influences the development of the wines and its taste. The plein scattered with round pebbles around Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the rocky slopes at the Mont Ventoux, the lovely valleys of the Lubéron, which sun-flooded,  the sparser fields of Cassis over the Mediterranean...
We move in these landscapes, become acquainted with winegrower and wine domains and to taste their wines.
Line: Gerhard Stange

The accommodation at La SOURCE are double rooms with bath. Single room by appointment. They are  a common kitchen, the library and our garden with pools at your disposal. We supply you with foof of  the Mediterranean area and use predominantly biological products. One can eat also vegetarian. Please indicate your allergies and incompatibilities to us.
In the price, if not differently indicated, are beside the accommodation 7x breakfast and 5x  warm dinner without beverages, as well as the Travels, the course fee (on 5 days program, 1 day is at your disposal) and the value added tax. Tickets and bicycle rental are not included.

Theatre course: 3x dinner, 4 days program.

Bicycle round travel: 8 overnight accomodation, 8x breakfasts, 4 x dinners. Course fee: 490, - Euro.

Except bicycle round travel : 590, - Euro (dinners on the way: approx.. 20, - Euro, Picknick 8.50 Euro, Bicycle rental 5 days approx.. 63, - Euro inclusively. Insurance from professional companyl)

Arrival: In each case Saturday starting from 17 o'clock (bicycle round travel on Friday).
Departure: Saturday to 12 o'clock.

Cleaning: We ask our guests, to leave the rooms, baths and kitchens in orderly condition. Domestic animals cannot be brough along. You can receive information in more detail to all courses. Please call or write an email or normal mail.

Culture & Contact
La SOURCE - Domaine Le Pont
F 84490 SAINT SATURNIN LÈS APT
Telephone: +33 (0)4 90 74 51 73 or +33 (0)6 76 49 02 83
mail: culture contact@wanadoo.fr

SPECIAL OFFERS

Excursions, Walks, Guided City Tours

We offer excursions, walks and guided city tours which we accompany to our guests and groups. You tell us what you want to do on which day. Everybody provides his own food. The excursions may last half a day or a complete day.

Walks with a special topic

• Following the traces of the Huguenots in the Luberon
• Walking and wine tasting in the Luberon/ Vaucluse
• Following the traces of the resistance in the mountains of the Vaucluse (resistance during the German occupation)

Food / Catering

For our holiday guests we offer breakfast or half-board. You can also just now and then book a dinner.
Groups get half-board : 7 x breakfast, and 5 x dinner
The kitchen is closed Sundays and Wednesdays.
You get a mediterranean cooking with a lot of variety. We mainly use organically grown products. If you wish you can have vegetarian food. Please tell us well in advance if you suffer from allergies or intolerable food.

Tariffs

Getting Here

By car

Motorway A7 Lyon direction Marseille, exit 24 Avignon south, D 22 direction Apt, after the stop sign (N 100) the first exit after Gordes but before Coustellet, on the D2 via Gordes direction Saint Saturnin les Apt, pass through Les Bassacs, La Tuilière, past Les Cordiers, still 1 km to go up to Saint Saturnin, pay attention to the little sign on the right : Le Pont. There you have to leave the D2, it is about 200m of asphalt road to our hamlet, which is 50m right off the road.
From the south : motorway A7 Marseille direction Lyon until exit 25 Cavaillon, continue direction Coustellet ….. like above.

By train

You arrive Avignon Gare Centrale or Gare TGV, you continue by bus from the Gare Routiere right next to the Gare Centrale to Apt, from there you take a taxi or call us well in advance.

By air

Airport Marseille ( Ryanair from Lübeck, Stanstead ), Nice (Easyjet) or Avignon, from there by train and bus to Apt as above.

      Map