In a quiet residential area with lovely views over the Rhône Valley and Mount Ventoux, Villa Joël is a spacious family villa with private pool just a few minutes from the bustLing town of Pont Saint Esprit. The house is comfortably furnished throughout in a traditional style whilst benefiting from modern conveninences such as air conditioning. The main door opens onto the large hallway. To the left is the kitchen which has been very well equipped with all the conveniences one would expect such as dishwasher, oven, hob, microwave and cafetiere. There is a table and chairs for those who visit out of season and may prefer to eat indoors, but this room also opens onto the large terrace overlooking the pool, making this a convivial family space. To the right of the hallway is the open plan living/dining room which has been cleverly arranged into two distinct living areas. To one end is the 'salon' with comfortable sofas, and television with DVD and video as well as a fireplace feature which again is ideal should you wish to visit during the winter. At the other end of this large room is a dining area furnished with a beautiful wooden dresser and table and chairs, and decorated with souvenirs from the owners travels, which gives the house a nice homely feel. This room also has large sliding patio doors with acces to the terrace, garden and pool, and even a little seating area for two where you can sit and while away the hours with a book or a glass or two of the excellent local wines. Also on the ground floor is a utility room with extra fridge-freezer and a washing machine and a toilet with handbasin, as well as two double bedrooms (each with traditional style French wooden beds), and a separate shower room with superb Italian style walk-in shower and a double sink which has been carved from stone that was specially imported from Morocco. Stairs lead up from the hallway to the first floor, where there is a large 'open' room which has been cleverly arranged as a sports area with home gym equipment, and large windows which can be opened fully to allow the air to circulate and keep you cool whilst you do your workout. There are two further double bedrooms and a family bathroom with bath, shower and toilet. Leading off the sports area is a door to the mezzanine area above the main living/dining room. This extra living space is currently arranged as a small bureau, but there is also a single day bed here which can be used for a ninth occupant of should you need more flexible sleeping arrangements. The thoughful owners have also provided a cot and highchair should you be travelling with little ones. Outside there is a large part covered terrace and garden together with a private 7m x 3m pool (an alarm is available for the safety of small children, but this is removed if there are only adults staying). There is a flat area below the house which is ideal as a boules pitch, and even a resident red squirrel who comes to visit from time to time. Villa Joël is not overlooked and enjoys lovely views the vallée du Rhône, so the garden is the ideal place to relax and unwind whilst listening to the sounds of the cicades. The house has heating making it equally suitable for out of season lets, and there is a garage with space for 2 cars.
Situated in the Gard just a few kilometres from the borders of Vaucluse and Ardeche, gourmets will enjoy the Provençal cuisine and, of course, the famous Côtes du Rhône wines, but the region is also steeped in history, and perfect for those looking for relaxation, leisure, sports and cultural activities. There are two airports nearby; Avignon is just 40 minutes and there are regular low cost flights from Exeter and Southampton with FlyBE, but there are many low cost airlines that fly to Marseille which is only about 90 minutes by car. Access to the autoroute is just 9km away - ideal for exploring the area. According to local legend, the town takes its name from the Holy Spirit who worked tirelessly to contribute to the construction of the bridge. Consequently, the masterpiece was dedicated to him. The town itself sits in an enviable position with some remarkable sites within easy reach such as Avignon and its ancient ramparts and the impression Palais du Papes (40km), the ancient amphitheatre and l'arc de triomphe in Orange (25km) the Roman City of Nimes where the film Gladiator was filmed in the well preseved arena (70km), and the famous Pont du Gard at REMOULINS (50km) which was contructed by the Romans. Also nearby are the celebrated Gorges d'Ardèche with its spectacular caves and gorges and the natural water reserve which is home to a number of unique plants and animal species. Saturday is market day in Pont Saint Esprit, and the ideal opportunity to try and buy some of the excellent local and regional produce such as olive oil and organic foods, tapenade, eggplant dip, snails, chocolates (Esprit de Pont St Esprit) and Côtes du Rhône wines. Scented soaps are also made here and make nice souvenirs. There are 3 supermarkets in the town and also two low cost food stores including Lidl. For those who are able to take advantage of a late summer break, why not visit during the town festival which is held in early September each year. Places of Interest in the area; The Pont Saint Esprit Sacred Art Museum of the Gard and Paul Raymond Museum Priory of St. Pierre Maison des Chevaliers Church of St. Saturnin Collegiate church and citadel Sacred Art Museum of the Gard and Paul Raymond Museum.
PRICES 2009 - prices shown are per week Dates Amount 14 June - 18 July 1800 € 19 July - 29 August  2000 € 30 August - 28 September 1800 € Cleaning charge 100 € or 75 € if just a couple Linen 10 € per person, per week Heating charge (applicable 15 October - 30 April) 12 € per day Security/breakage deposit 200 € Property Location Pool ............................. Restaurants ................. Shops .......................... Main Town .................. Airport ......................... Port .............................. Linen ........................... Arrival day ...................   Yes, private Short drive, approx. 5 minutes Short drive, approx. 5 minutes Pont Saint Esprit, approx. 5 minutes Avignon 45km, approx. 45m or Marseille 148km Calais, approx. 8h 30m or Caen, approx. 8h Provided for a small extra charge SATURDAYS Bookings and further information: e-mail: bookings@directCorsica.com. For your convenience, payments for this property can be made in sterling via The direct Holiday Company. | Accommodation | Flights | Ferries | Overnight Accommodation |