Le 4 de Maisons Clotilde

A Renovated Village Townhouse in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

Tucked along a river bend in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue’s pastel-pretty Old Town, on a street of flowering oleander, steps from the market square and the village’s Collégiale church, this classic village townhouse offers a graceful renovation that exudes pure, poetic Provence.

A traditional spiraling staircase leads from the apartment’s foyer up to an open-plan, brightly whitewashed living/dining and kitchen area furnished by the property’s interior decorator/antique dealer owner.

Two sunny double bedrooms are tucked on the top floor and offer tranquil, timeless beauty and a sweet collection of curiosities. Some furnishings from other locales are added to the artful mix, like the Andalusian kitchen cabinetry, the artisanal Moroccan lamps in the bedrooms, and the zellige tiled shower. Natural bath products created by the owner and sourced in Provence are on hand in the classic bathroom shared by the bedrooms, and the kitchen is stocked with local olive oil, honey, and herbal tea infusions.

To explore the other homes in this collection, click on the following links: Le 40 de Maisons Cotilde, Le 70 de Maisons Cotilde.

Around

Just a few steps from L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue’s market square, the lively Café de France and gilded Collégiale, this traditional vacation rental offers guests an experience of lyrical, romantic Provence. L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is known for its twice-yearly antiques fair that draws buyers from around the world, and for its number of local antique shops open year round. A traditional Provençal market—one of the region’s oldest—is held every Thursday and Sunday along a canal of the Sorgue River and into the heart of the village, showcasing local lavender and Provençal textiles, produce, honey, handmade soaps and sachets, and a dizzying array of artisanal wares at its hundreds of stands. One of Provence’s “must see” villages, the town is often referred to as a local “Venice” for its handful of canals extending off of the Sorgue River and its photogenic water wheels along the canals.

A community of narrow streets lined with pastel-hued buildings, the village is actually an “island” at a split in the river. Grand mansions punctuate simpler village streets, as the river brought an affluent merchant class to the area, wealthy paper and textile magnates. Chock full of sidewalk cafes under the plane trees and shaded tables under fragrant wisteria arbors, plus dozens of postcard-perfect footbridges spanning its charmed waterways, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue offers visitors a Provençal idyll—flowering, tile-roofed, pastel hued and simply wonderful. The Notre Dame des Anges Collégiale, dating from the 17th century, is a few feet from the townhome as is the central market square with its restaurants, boutiques and small greengrocers.

Location

Nearest airports: Nimes and Marseilles (both 35 miles)

Best time to visit

April to October