THE AREA
The village of Paradou lies at the center of Provence, eight miles east of Arles and south of Avignon. A typical Provençal village, Paradou is small but offers all essentials for the visitor, including a bakery, a café, and a weekly market. Just to the north, you will find the picturesque medieval village of Les Baux and the market town of St-Rémy (which offers some outstanding restaurants). With a base in this area, you can explore the historic streets of nearby Arles, Avignon, or Aix, or venture farther afield on day trips to the Arles Valley or even the Mediterranean. A number of arts festivals take place in Provence in the summer, and for for those more actively inclined, golf, hiking and horseback riding are all available locally.

THE PROPERTIES
The Villas Les Garrigues enjoy a serene hillside setting with beautiful views of the landscape of the Alpilles, the jagged range of hills that dominates the horizon to the north. Resembling a traditional hamlet, this small group of townhouse-style villas blends attractively with the natural surroundings. The villas are built of local stone and tile in the age-old Provençal style, and feature rustic wood-beam ceilings. Gardens and terraces let you enjoy the sun and the clear air, which is scented with wildflowers, lavender, and thyme. Inside, each villa offers simple, tasteful "country-modern" furnishings. The villas share a large pool and sunbathing terrace: tennis and bicycle rental are also available.