Twenty-five years ago, my wife and I had the incredible fortune to live for over four months in Maussane-les-Alpilles, a small commune in Provence near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, as I worked on a special project. As a relatively new (under two years) married couple without children, it was the rare opportunity to share wholeheartedly in an experience without any exterior demands. We simply had to enjoy every day, and we did. The warmth and openness of the Provencal people, the colors of the land and sky across the region, and the wonderful food and wine all imprinted itself in such a way that it changed both of us at the time and gave us a lifelong love of France.

Amazingly enough, however, it has taken me until this year to return to Provence for any length of time. (I made the trip myself, as my wife does not like to travel as much now; her memories of Provence are sustenance enough, I suppose.) While conducting trip planning, I came across the enticing prospect of La Maison de Line, a combination gîte/hotel in St.-Rémy. As it was self-contained, with cottages and its own pool, and St.-Rémy was at the center of all my planned excursions in Provence, I chose it for my stay. I knew nothing about La Maison other than what I had read and seen online; I booked on faith, as it was.

On the day of my arrival — after a long and sleepless flight to Paris, another flight to Marseille, 45 minutes with Hertz at the airport (lol), and an hour-long drive to St.-Rémy — as I sat in my car staring at a huge metal entry door, I had no idea what to expect. The door opened; I drove in; and all my worries were erased. I stepped out to see a lovely mas, a graveled courtyard, a fountain burbling away and greenery everywhere. When Louis, the owner, stepped out to greet me as if I was a long-lost relative come to stay, all I could think of was: I am home. And what a home it turned out to be for week-long stay! I stayed in Cypres Cottage, which is attached to the main building yet has its own entrance with a courtyard; it was so private, however, I barely saw another guest during my entire stay. The cottage was well furnished, had wonderful casement windows which opened inward for fresh air, a very comfortable bed, a generous shower and a kitchen with exactly what you needed to make some simple meals. The grounds themselves were bursting with greenery everywhere; as someone who loves to garden at home, it was a delight. The pool was gorgeous, heated and the perfect place to unwind after a long day of exploring. The parking lot was sized well and easy to access for my Skoda Octavia, which is not a small car by any means. Ah, and if you like cats, the owners have three! Just be careful to close the door when you return from the market…

My stay was perfect in every way. The location provided very easy access to St.-Rémy (two minutes on foot to a wonderful boulangerie and neighboring rotisserie, five minutes to two excellent wine shops, and ten minutes to the Intermarché or the center of town). It was also a wonderful hub from which to explore the entire region, due to the hotel being right up the street from the D99.

In closing, I wish to thank Louis, his wife Myriam and his family. Travel can be challenging and there are no givens; you sometimes have to manage as best you can, especially when traveling solo. With La Maison de Line, however, it all came easy. I felt as though, for one small week again, that I truly lived in Provence — a marvelous gift I will always treasure.