First floor one bedroom apartment with a spacious terrace with gorgeous views to the citadel and forested hilltop park, includes a large bathroom with a generously sized shower and a modern functional kitchen.
After taking the stone stairway from the internal courtyard you arrive at the guest library where guests are able to browse at the travel books and maps from the area.
Under the stairwell is a laundry with a washing machine and clothes dryer.
Entering the apartment through the old 13th Century stone doorway you arrive in the hallway from where the bathroom/WC runs off to the right with a very large shower.
Continuing straight ahead you come to the dining-lounge room with TV, stereo and DVD. Straight ahead is the fully equipped kitchen including a dish washer.
To the left of the lounge-dining area is the bedroom with a large double bed and a glass door with direct access to a private terrace.
From the kitchen there is also access to the delightful terrace. The terrace has superb views towards the citadel and the hill top park of Forcalquier. In Summer a vine clad pergola provides pleasant shade.
In Spring or Autumn the terrace is a lovely spot to just relax in a sunny corner. A BBQ is also at guests’ disposal. All rooms are connected to a central heating system.
In Summer the apartment stays remarkably cool due to the thick stone walls. All windows have attractive blue shutters which can be locked at night or closed during the day to keep the sun out.
There is plenty of free parking near the apartments and it is possible to drive to the bottom of rue Saint-Mary to unload luggage. The apartments are located in a charming stone house which stands in a quiet cobble stoned street and leads to the Citadel where a 13th century castle once stood. Today the Notre Dame de Provence Chapel stands in its place and commands a magnificent view of the surrounding countryside. The Citadel, as the hill is passionately known by the locals, is a real ‘green oases in the centre of town and a beautiful spot for an early morning or evening stroll.
Forcalquier has a population of 4,500 and from the Apartments it is a 5 minute walk to the centre of town. Here you can buy everything you need for your stay in Forcalquier. There are numerous bakers, a butcher, an excellent fruit and vegetable shop, pastry and chocolate shop, 2 supermarkets, delicatessen and very good wine shop (there are also 2 large Supermarkets at each end of the town) 3 banks, Post Office, 2 chemists and a news agency. Of course there are plenty of cafes, bars and restaurants. We have a list of the ones we recommend and we are only too happy to talk about the other ones we take our groups to in the nearby villages.
Of course one of the big attractions of Forcalquier is the Monday morning market. It is renowned as being one of the most colourful in Provence and of course one can do the weekly shopping direct from the producers. There is an enormous range of food available - local cheeses, fruit and vegetables, organic breads, herbs and spices, fresh fish from Marseille, Provencal fabrics and pottery etc.
Forcalquier is ideally located in terms of visiting the nearby tourist sites. Avignon is 1.5 hours, Aix en Provence 1 hour, Marseille 1.5, Nice 2.5, and the French Alps 1.5 hours. Of course it is preferable to have a car. If you plan not to have a car then it is possible to visit all the towns just mentioned using public transport.
Touring bikes can be hired in the town. The Forcalquier region is famous for its wonderful cycling path which leads all the way to Cavaillon near Avignon, a distance of 100 kms. Otherwise there are plenty of quiet country lanes which are suitable for cycling. We can help you with information.
There are also 500 km’s of marked walking tracks in the region. Basically the area forms a square bordered by 2 mountain ranges to the North and South and by 2 rivers to the East and West. It is ideal for walking as there is an immense variety of landscapes influenced by both a continental climate from the Alps and a Mediterranean climate from the south. We are happy to discuss the different walks with you.
Recent reviews
A perfect place to stay
What a perfect place to stay! Calm and cool with a gorgeous patio to sit under the vines. Incredibly comfortable bed with lovely linen sheets. The kitchen had everything we needed. Nastassja was so helpful and the check in and booking process was smooth and efficient. She went out of her way to make sure we had a perfect stay. The village is beautiful to walk around in and we recommend making up to the citadel"
Gail from Adelaide, Australia
Exceeded all of my expectations
This home exceeded all of my expectations! If you're looking for a place that is not only beautiful, but also enhances your experience. This is it! Absolutely wonderful accommodations and the hosts were a delight to work with!"
Sarah from Roanoke, Virginia, USA
Perfectly situated
This apartment is very cosy and clean. It's perfectly situated in a small but not very touristy town. We apreciated the good restaurants and bakeries, which were very close. The check in was perfect organized. Danke Catherine and thanks at the Clarke Family!"
Michelle from Brugg Switzerland
Ideally located
Apartment ideally located, extremely quiet. The shaded terrace is very nice."
From french: Appartement idéalement situé, extrêmement calme. La terrasse ombragée est très agréable. Francoise from Osny, France
Everything we needed
Climbing roses and grape vines greeted us each morning at this lovely location. The sound of a burbling fountain created a background of relaxing music. Everything we needed for our stay was available and much more. Excellent communication, easy check-in, walkable to restaurants, sightseeing, bakeries, and parking. We can't recommend this Air BnB more highly!"
Amy from Washington, USA
Super séjour
C'est une famille charmante; toujours de bons conseils, discrète. Nous avons découvert Forcalquier et ses environs: la Montagne de Lure (rando), baignade dans une rivière avec piscine et eau turquoise, observation des étoiles à St Michel l'observatoire. Super séjour".
Translated to english: It is a charming family; always good advice, discreet. We discovered Forcalquier and its surroundings: the Montagne de Lure (hiking), swimming in a river with swimming pool and turquoise water, observation of the stars at St Michel Observatory. Great stay.
Stephanie from France - 08/2018
Wonderful
Wonderful flat and beautiful patio, amazing location and the clarke family are perfect and kind hosts. Could not ask for anything more. Thank you very much, we will be back!"
Charlotte from London, UK - 08/2018
Magical visit
We had a magical visit to Forcalquier. The apartment was wonderful. We were able to walk everywhere as the location is so central."
Charlotte from West Kelowna, Canada - 07/2018
Incredible apartment
Thanks so much to Graham and Gabriella for an incredible apartment in a wonderful town. Really appreciate all of the little details that made the stay so comfortable, particularly sitting under the vines on the private terrace. We will come back again soon! Graham even stopped us in the street in town to say hi and check we were getting on okay Thanks Sean and Gabriella"
Sean from Luton, London, UK - 07/2018
Comfortable and memorable place to stay
Highly recommend accommodation in a beautiful location.
Kevin from Saint Albans, UK - 10/2017
Highly recommend
We stayed in Blanche, the upper floor studio apartment. It had a lovely view over the mountains, the village and the property gardens. The apartment was well equipped and clean. It is a bit quirky but charming due to the angle of the ceiling. The location is fantastic to explore Forcalquier. Graeme was very accommodating to the point of driving to another town to purchase a hair dryer when ours had a malfunction. We would highly recommend staying with Graeme in Forcalquier."
Betty from Bellevue, Washington, USA - 07/2017
Incredible apartment
This is an incredible apartment! From the charming courtyard, to the very clean and well equipped kitchen, to the warm welcome from Gabriella, this was the highlight of my trip to France. Forcalquier is very quaint and quiet village that has amazing natural beauty. The tips from Graeme and Gabriella were very helpful, and they gave me detailed instructions to find the highlights of the area. The best part is having your coffee or wine on the grape vine covered terrace. You will love this apartment and never want to leave!"
Sarah from Chicago, Illinois, USA - 07/2017
Thank you so much for a lovely stay
We loved the apartment; the patio was a dream place to sit and have a drink or coffee. The courtyards were so beautiful and full of character. It is the perfect place when visiting France. The location couldn't be better in Forcalquier, which is a perfect launching place to so many areas of Provence. Graeme came to meet and chat with us the day after we arrived since he had not been home when we came. He is such a warm, friendly helpful person. He went way above and beyond to help us in our attempts to find my husband's iPhone which he left on the train on our way there. Graeme spent an hour contacting and speaking with the Lost & Found at the train station for us. He also picked some fresh figs from his garden for us to enjoy. He also provided many suggestions for things to see and do and places to eat there. Thank you so much for a lovely stay.
Ranelle from Sturbridge, Massachusetts, United States - 09/2016
Best arrival and check-in experiences ever!
The communication with the hosts was excellent both before and during our stay: timely and clear. When we arrived, Graeme and Gabriela were not there, but a friend of theirs welcomes us and explained everything about the apartment, including parking, etc. One of the best arrival and check-in experiences ever! The apartment was as represented in the photos and the terrace is fabulous: sunny, secluded and very spacious. We spent most of our time outdoors, on the terrace, including all meals. The grill was an excellent addition and allowed us to cook some great meals. The kitchen is fully equipped and perfect for cooking in, which we love to do. The apartment is quiet, the courtyard is very secluded and away from any noise in the town, including Monday markets. Perfect for relaxing, working, vacationing. All in all, an extraordinary experience."
Viktorija from Chicago, USA - 06/2016
Comfortable and memorable place to stay
We loved our stay in Forcalquier and were very happy to be offered by Gabriela the other property they managed "An Apartment in Provence". This meant that we had plenty of space to spread out and use of a full kitchen. During the time of our stay a lot of the restaurants were closed which was a little disappointing so we did more self catering than planned - but the weather was great. We enjoyed the quiet time (and lack of traffic) and were able to visit villages in the area. Towards the end of our stay it was great to share some time with Gabriela and hear her many travel stories. Her knowledge about the region and the world is very impressive. We would definitely recommend "An Apartment in Provence" as a comfortable and memorable place to stay.
David from Indooroopilly, Australia - 11/2015
Excellent base for trip
Graeme was an excellent host, meeting us in the town square, delivering grapes from the vine on our terrace and suggesting a number of interesting local places to visit. The house was comfortable and well equipped and made an excellent base for trips to Aix, Avignon, the Luberon and the mountains. Forcalquier is also a relaxing old town to explore. All in all a very good experience.
Alison from London, UK - 10/2015
Everything you need
Such a lovely place in the middle of a beautiful village. You only need just a few steps to get into the centre with some good restaurants and stores. In the flat is EVERYTHING you need and decorated and arrange with so much love. The outdoor part is so nice to have breakfast and an good-night-drink. The only thing in the house that wasn't perfect, was the Wifi-connection, because it only worked in some parts of the flat.
Axel from Würzburg, Germany - 07/2015
Perfect location
A perfect location near a lovely little town; small but very clean, well thought out accommodation and very responsive hosts.
Caroline from London, UK - 07/2015
Perfect location
Graeme is a great host! He made us feel very welcome and he was incredible helpful with finding interesting places to go. Highly recommended!
Henrick from Valby, Denmark - 08/2014
We felt like home!
Gabriela and Graeme's place is FANTASTIC! We felt like home! It is located in a very charming village close to Aix en Provence. They gave us all support we needed!!! I strongly recommend having this experience! I met Gabriela and she is so nice and friendly! Everything worked perfectly and I will come back as soon as I will be able to! The shower is amazing, the bed too! The kitchen amazingly equipped! I spent 4 days with my mom and we both loved it! You should go!
Manoela from São Paulo, Brazil - 04/2014
Very well appointed and homely
Gorgeous apartment in the heart of the old town in Forcalquier. Very well appointed and homely. Gabriela was a wonderful host, including us in pre-dinner drinks and some lovely appetizers in her garden, with a few people who had done her walking tour. She was very helpful with suggestions for dining and things to do in the area. Gorges du Verdon was spectacular if you have time and the Monday morning market loads of fun. Two nights wasn't long enough - hope to be back one day! Thanks so much Gabriela and Graeme.
Rachel from New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand - 09/2013
A truly an authentic Provence experience
Graeme and Gabriela are wonderful hosts. Their flat in Forcalquier is truly an authentic Provence experience. We thoroughly enjoyed the classic finishes and furnishings. The location is quiet and central to the village and region. Linda and I highly recommend this charming place. Paul especially enjoyed playing the piano while Linda painted a beautiful watercolor on the terrace. G and G are very knowledgeable about the area and history of the area. We are grateful to them for this opportunity to connect with them and this fantastic place.
Paul and Li from Santa Cruz, USA - 08/2013
The apartment was perfect We had the pleasure of staying 5 nights in one of Graeme and Gabriela's charming apartments. Their place is located in the heart of Forcalquier, very close to the center and restaurants. Graeme met us in the town center and help us park our car and carry our luggages. We were very happy to find that they had a place to store our bicycles. The apartment was perfect, got everything we needed. The highlight for us was our terrace where we enjoyed breakfast and BBQ at night. We felt like we knew Graeme for years, he invited us for a pastis and we had a very nice time. I recommend their place to anyone who wishes to stay in Lubéron. One of the great place for cycling in France. We will be back for sure.
Julie & Hugues from Paris, France - 05/2013
Idéalement situé
Très bel appartement, Idéalement situé. La terrasse et la cour sont très agréables et au calme. La ville et la région sont très sympas. Nous recommandons!"
Translated to english: Very nice apartment, Ideally located. The terrace and the courtyard are very nice and quiet. The town and the region are very friendly. We recommend. Arnaud from Bourges, France - 08/2017
Absolutely recommendable
Lage (Altstadt) und Ausstattung sind hervorragend. Alle Läden und Restaurants sind fußläufig gut zu erreichen. Die Betreuung durch Cécile ist sehr gut. Unbedingt zu empfehlen. Im Sommer genießt man besonders die schöne, schattige Terrasse."
Translated to english: Location (old town) and facilities are outstanding. All the shops and restaurants are within easy walking distance. The care of Cécile is very good. Absolutely recommendable. In the summer you can enjoy the beautiful, shaded terrace. Joachim from Valady, France - 07/2017
Beaucoup de charme
Superbe maison en plein coeur de Forcalquier! Beaucoup de charme, très agréable à vivre et parfaitement aménagée! Cécile nous a accueillis très chaleureusement dans les lieux! Nous avons passé un moment très agréable et recommandons cette étape!"
Translated to english: Superb house in the heart of Forcalquier! Lots of charm, very pleasant to live and perfectly arranged! Cécile welcomed us very warmly in the places! We had a lovely time and recommend this step. Nicolas from Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands - 05/2017
Bien équipé
L'appartement était propre et bien équipé, la maison a beaucoup de charme. Graeme et Gabriela étaient absents, mais j'ai été bien accueilli et ils ont régulièrement pris de mes nouvelles. La maison est très bien placée dans la ville, dans un très joli quartier, au pied de la citadelle et proche des commerces. Bref, avec le beau temps en prime, un excellent séjour.
Translation from French: The apartment was clean and well equipped, the house has a lot of charm. Graeme and Gabriela were absent, but I was well received and they regularly check I was okay. The house is very well placed in the city, in a very nice neighborhood, at the doorstep of the citadel and close to shops. In short, with the good weather as a bonus, it was an excellent stay.
Julien from Besançon, France - 02/2017
Recommend it
Vi skulle ringe når vi var fremme i Forcalquier så ville vi blive afhentet af værternes repræsentant. Det hele fungerede fint, og vi havde 3 dejlige dage på stedet. Alt var fint og i orden. Det vil vi gerne anbefale til andre.
Karsten from Assens, Denmark - 09/2016 Translation from Danish: We called when we were in Forcalquier, so we would be picked up by the hosts' representative. It all worked well and we had 3 lovely days on site. Everything was fine and okay. We would like to recommend it to others.
Accueil très cordial
Graeme nous avait donné rendez-vous devant l'église, nous nous sommes vite retrouvés et il nous a menés à l'appartement. Il nous a laissé le choix entre celui-ci et un autre qui était libre à ce moment. L'accueil a été très cordial. L'appartement correspond bien à la description.
Michel from Marseille, France - 08/2014 Graeme gave us an appointment outside the church, we quickly found and he led us to the apartment. He gave us the choice between it and another that was free at that time. The reception was very cordial. The apartment matches the description - Translated from French.
Just amazing!
Graeme & Gabriela's place is just amazing. They've got a number of apartments that all converge on a central terrace that is stunning, and the indoor spaces are JUST what you'd need. Even though the apartments share the central courtyard, there is a great deal of privacy as each of the apartments also has its own balcony. We decided to cook dinner for ourselves one night, and we found the full kitchen stocked with some basic essentials which was awesome. The furnishings, the design, and of course, the hosts are top notch, and thanks to the help of Graeme, we took an epic scenic drive back to Nice on our last day that proved to be the highlight of our trip. Whether in town or in the surrounding areas of Provence, Graeme is extremely well suited to give tips and suggestions on what to see and where to go. I HIGHLY recommend this apartment to anyone looking to have an great time in one of the most picturesque towns in France. it really is a gem that many seem to overlook. Thank you SO much to Graeme and Gabriela for hosting us in their lovely spot. We'll certainly be back next time we're in Provence.
Taylor and Adrienne from Vancouver, Canada - 04/2013
Cozy
Gabriela was very welcoming as she met us in the town center and showed us where to park overnight. She even helped us carry our bags up to the apartment. The apartment was cozy and all the amenities were available. Gabriela also suggested some small hiking and restaurants to eat at. My only regret was not staying longer and we plan on coming back someday. I would recommend to anyone in the area. Thanks Gabriela!.