Villa Marcelline takes its name from its hamlet home, a sleepy green suburb of Vaison-la-Romaine on the banks of the Ouvèze river. St-Marcellin is a village of villas, ideally placed for quick, easy access to Vaison by bike or car, and a good choice for a peace-seeking couple or family.

The house is very tastefully decorated, but perhaps the biggest attraction here is the ample garden space, with separate areas to play, relax and soak up the southern sun by the pool. Beyond the pool is open farmland and countryside, and whilst there are other villas in the vicinity, the pool area itself is nicely private. Clever landscaping makes the garden feel like a series of separate outdoor ‘rooms’, one of which contains the open-air kitchen, perfect for summer evenings when it’s just far too nice to be inside, however lovely the interiors may be.

If you prefer to let someone else cook, the centre of Vaison-la-Romaine is less than three kilometres away, and you may find that a leisurely wander round its streets in search of the most tempting menu is almost as enjoyable as the food itself. Vaison has been on the map since Roman times, and two major dig sites attest to their appreciation of the area. The Roman remains are found principally on the right bank of the river, while to the left you can discover the old medieval quarter, full of cobbled streets, shady squares and cool fountains, all within just a few kilometres of your villa.

The local area

Vaison-la-Romaine has been a physical and cultural hub of the northern Vaucluse since wealthy Roman nobles first spied its potential two millennia ago. Today’s ruins and museums display fine mosaics, private thermal baths and the remains of elaborate homes, indicating a fine Provençal lifestyle even back then. The surrounding landscape is wilder and less populated than southern Provence, dominated by the brooding bulk of Mont Ventoux and the lace-like limestone of the Dentelles de Montmirail mountains. There are numerous walking trails through the Dentelles, with guides and maps available from local tourist offices. Nearby Séguret is one of France’s famous ‘most beautiful’ villages, nestled beneath a ruined castle and looking out protectively over its vineyards below. Puyméras, just northeast of Vaison, offers lovely views over lavender fields from the ruined château at the top of the village, while Orange, with its magnificent Roman amphitheatre, is around 40 minutes away by car.

Explore our pre-bookable experiences in Provence

Our choice of French properties is diverse, ranging from simple charm to genuine luxury and style. Much of our portfolio is privately owned, and price alone is therefore not a universal guide. We contract all our accommodation in person, and each property has its individual appeal.

To help you make the right choice based on your own priorities, we have devised a simple grading guide to be considered in conjunction with each individual property description, awarding up to a maximum of five stars for the below categories.