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Standing in a spectacular position overlooking the Lubéron Mountains, Saignon is a charming, unspoilt medieval village in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Surrounded by lavender fields and perched on the edge of the Lubéron Mountains, there is an amazing 360° panorama of the valley and the Lubéron mountain range. When the weather is fine, you can see Mont Ventoux (with its snow capped summit from November to March), the Alps de Haute Provence and even the heights of Avignon. Thanks to its immense rock, which dominates the valley, Saignon once played a key defensive role for the town of Apt and was attacked through the centuries by numerous invaders - although not yet by tourists! In the past, there were three châteaux in Saignon (highly unusual in Provence where one chateaux to a village was common) and one external wall of Solièra Cottage was once part of the ramparts protecting the village - the arrow slits are windows today! Saignon is still relatively unknown and is a peaceful village with a very picturesque central square - La Place de la Fontaine - and very few cars.
For a panoramic view of Saignon and Solièra Cottage click on Spectacular Saignon! (View 1 shows Solièra Cottage from a distance and view 3 shows the house and garden in close-up.)
As one of the ten oldest settlements in France, Saignon dates back almost two millennia and has a rich history evident in the tiny cobbled streets, picturesque shady squares, hidden stairways, narrow passageways, ancient fountains with spring water fed wells, beautiful houses and old stone portals. There's also evidence of a settlement from the Iron Age. The Romanesque village church dates from the twelfth century and the Abbaye de St Eusèbe, a historic monument two kilometres from Saignon, was quite recently restored and is now the picturesque setting for art exhibitions from all over the world. Saignon has two fêtes: one in the Place du village (13 July 2004) and another in the Place de la Mairie (20 - 23 August 2004).
Saignon is ideal for anyone who wants a true Provençal village experience and is an excellent base from which to explore the whole of Provence. The dozens of picturesque villages, each with its own character and charm, in the Parc Naturel de Lubéron are only minutes away. Centrally located and within easy driving distance of the great historic cities of the region (Avignon, Arles, Aix en Provence and Orange) it is an area rich in the things that one goes to Provence to find - lavender scented landscapes; charming hilltop villages; lively outdoor markets overflowing with local produce; outstanding food and wine; brilliant light that has always attracted painters and poets; and people that enjoy simple pleasures, good conversation and very long lunches! Provence is popular with tourists, but not spoiled by them. There are plenty of lively terrace cafés and superb restaurants, but one is seldom more than five minutes away from country lanes meandering through lavender fields, olive groves, almond orchards, vineyards and fields of delicious melons and vegetables sold in the village markets every day.
The following article entitled Mot à Mot: Saignon, Le Luberon Discret is taken from 'Francemag.com':
"Saignon is the last village to be discovered in the Lubéron. To reach the village, hidden behind its enormous rocky promontory that juts out over the Cavalon Valley, you have to leave the sticky atmosphere of Apt, with its famous Saturday market, its pottery factories and crystallised fruits. You have to turn your back too on the famous sites of the region: Gordes, Lourmarin and Ménerbes; and abandon the antique dealers in L’Isle sur la Sorgue and the trendy bars of Fontaine de Vaucluse. But anyone who climbs the winding road that leads from the river and the lower part of Saignon to the upper town will be quickly rewarded. From up there, on the edge of the cliff, near the orientation table, you will glimpse Mont Ventoux at the far end of the plain and, if it is very clear, the Vaucluse Mountains and the slopes above Avignon." Ready to book a fabulous holiday? Click here to contact the owner. Back to the homepage |
