Le Soleil du Luberon – our L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue apartment in the Historical Centre:
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue apartment as seen from Place de la Liberté
For our week-long visit of the Luberon, we stayed at Le Soleil du Luberon, Eric and Marie’s L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue apartment on Place de la Liberté. We were very fortunate to have got this apartment as we were a little late in our vacation planning. The Luberon, and the Provence region in general, does get very busy during the summer months. Located in the historical centre of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, we couldn’t have asked for a better location.
Charming L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue Apartment
We arrived in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue before noon, which was a bit too early for the apartment check-in time. Eric could not meet us then, but he kindly gave us instructions on how to get into the apartment. In lieu of his personal welcome, there was a nice bottle of local wine waiting for us – a very nice welcome gesture.
Le Soleil du Luberon is exactly as shown on the VRBO website. It is located on three levels of a narrow building and we liked it the moment we stepped in. It is described as a charming apartment, and charming it certainly is.
Kitchenette and Living Room
The entrance door to the apartment leads into the living room on the second floor of the building. It has a very homely feel. Just off the living room is the kitchenette. It is fully equipped for anyone who wants to do some cooking and there is also a washing machine.
Frankly, there is so much to see and do in the Luberon region and we were out most of the time. Cooking was not a priority for us and besides, there are many restaurants and cafes in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue that we didn’t feel inclined to dine in. Although we didn’t use the cooking facilities, we found the washing machine very handy. The Wifi connection was very good as well.
View of the Main Square
The window in the living room looks down into the Place de la Liberté. All the villages of the Luberon have market days and L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue has a small market day on Thursdays, followed by a huge one on Sundays – not to be missed. From the window of the living room we could see the activities in the market place.
Market day in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
The bedroom on the third floor has Provencale-style ceiling and the French shutters keep out the early morning light and any noise from the square. The huge plane tree outside gives the room a nice green outlook. Just outside of the bedroom door is a cupboard with plenty of storage space.
Bedroom of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue apartment
The bathroom is at the top of the staircase on the bedroom level. It has been stylishly renovated. Although small, it is very well laid out.
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue apartment bathroom
Another set of steps takes you to the attic where there are two single beds which is handy for families with kids. From the window of the attic are nice views of the rooftops of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. In all, there was plenty of space in the apartment.
Attic of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue apartment
A Very Nice Landlord
When we caught up with Eric later in the late afternoon, he gave us tips on his favourite bakery, cafés, restaurants and things to see and do in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. Although there is a bakery next to the apartment, each morning I would walk a little further to Eric’s favourite bakery where the baguette was really nice.
Eric is one of the nicest landlords we’ve come across in all the VRBO rentals that we’ve done. He trusts his guests to do the right thing and does not ask for any “damage deposits” which most properties do. Some greedy landlords even ask for amounts higher than allowed by law. We got the sense that Eric really wants you to enjoy your stay in his place and in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. From the numerous complimentary remarks in his guest book, it is evident that many of his guests have enjoyed their stays. I mention this because we had a very different experience in Paris. We rented an apartment where we felt the landlord was money-minded and just interested in getting the most out of his guests.
Attractions of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Nearby Villages
There’s plenty to explore in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, all of which can be done on foot. L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is also well served by trains and the public bus network. We wanted to see if we could get around the Luberon without driving and found the bus services and trains quite reliable. The Tour de France was going through the town of Cavaillon and we managed to get there to watch our favourite cycling race. Avignon was easily accessible by bus and train. Gordes was one of our must-see places and we managed to see the famous abbey and lavender fields. We also managed to get to Fontaine-de-Vaucluse to see the source of the River Sorgue. We could have got to many other towns and villages but decided to save these for the next time.
Easy to Get to
We arrived in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue by bus from Avignon. The Place de la Liberté and the apartment were within easy walking distance from the Robert Vasse bus stop – about a 270 m walk. We had big cases and a tonne of camera equipment so we took our time getting there. If you’re arriving by train, the apartment is about the same distance to the train station.
Thank you Eric and Marie for a wonderful stay in your apartment. When we come back to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue again, we know where we would like to stay again.
Address:
Le Soleil du Luberon
Place de la Liberté
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
France 84800
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