Where is Maillane?

Unless you know Provence like the back of your hand, I doubt you will have heard of this town. Anyway I hadn’t. When thinking of holidays in Provence, we are all after that languid atmosphere that will lead us to a nap under a sycamore tree. And we invariably end up looking for places to stay that are well-known, such as the more touristic Avignon. And invariably, McDonald’s golden arches and advertisements for Heineken will take away any notion of authenticity when children and men start militating for the one and the other respectively.

On the subject of authenticity, here we are. Maillane offers you a true taste of Provence. With its proximity to many places of interest, close to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, with a real feel of everything you wanted these holidays to be when you first started imagining them. The local markets, the waterways, and yes, that glorious nap under a sycamore tree.

Rent a holiday house with a private swimming pool in Maillane, we guarantee that you will love it. Every Thursday, there is a local and colourful market with the atmosphere you read about in books, smiling, cheerful faces calling out to sell you juicy tomatoes or inviting you to taste their famous tapenade. I would certainly love to! Bring all your goodies home and relax with a glass of local wine by the pool, watch your children splash around in your private swimming pool, and enjoy as your family unwinds and gets into the slower, Provençal pace.

Frederic Mistral anyone? A Provençal poet from the end of the 19th Century, very famous locally, to such an extent that there is a quaint little museum housing his books and furniture, that is well worth a visit. And by the way, that strong warm wind that blows in the south of France was named after him.

End of July, there is the Fêtes de la Saint Eloi. Again, I had never heard of Saint Eloi either. Local tradition enjoys week-long festivities, with the highlight being the “carreto ramado”. This involves about thirty horses, all spruced up and looking their best, and cart races. I definitely want to see that!

Lastly, there is a Michelin restaurant right in Maillane, called L’Oustalet Maïanen. I would recommend making a booking if you go during the high season.

The best thing about Maillane is that you can taste authentic Provençal life, while being close to all those places you’ll want to tell your friends about. Maillane is centrally located, you can drive out to Isle-sur-la-Sorgue for the day, spend another day in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, and definitely not miss Avignon.

For a more glamourous holiday, check out our offer on the Côte d’Azur in France, or on the Costa del Sol in Spain. If you want to go completely exotic, we have fabulous places in Morocco! Still unsure? Get in touch with us, we are always happy to help.