The small historic village of St Laurent des Arbes (Provence) takes about 5 minutes to walk around - you'll find a couple of cafes, grocers, a pharmacy and a castle .
Most guests use Maison Felisa guesthouse as a base for exploring further afield, start the day with early morning yoga with Philippe, then return for a refreshing dip in the pool and a soothing massage .
A list of all the local Provence markets are on hand downstairs (as are maps and some interesting flyers). Most days you'll have a choice of more than five in the area. Friday is market day in the village.
Cooking lessons are on offer by arrangement.
There are a couple of bikes at the property for guests to use. Off-road mountain biking can also be arranged. Horse riding in the village will take you through the local vineyards .
Visit the 15th-century Papal Palace in Avignon , a 15-minute drive away. It's impressively severe and worth the tour. You can walk down to see the bridge too, still unfinished after all these years. On Saturdays the market is held on the ramparts of the old town.
Don't miss Uzès (30-minute drive), one of the best-preserved medieval towns in France. You can do a neat little tour. Drop south from Uzès into the Gorges du Gardon (for hiking, swimming, mountain biking and horse riding), then spin back north and take in the spectacular Pont du Gard, a 1st-century Roman aqueduct built over three levels, 40 metres high.
Take the wine road, visit the vineyards of the Côtes du Rhône , Châteauneuf du Pape , Tavel , and Lirac cellars. A sensory tour of the wine cellars in Cairanne, nr Orange, is highly recommended.
Follow the Rhône down to Arles , a really cute provincial town, Roman to its core, with an exceptional amphitheatre and some incredible 12th-century stone carvings at St Trophine in Place de la République. Don't stop at the front door; the cloisters (€3.50) are worth the time and money.
You're close to the motorway and can be down in Nimes in half an hour door to door, or less. You'll find an even bigger amphitheatre and the only fully-preserved Roman temple in the world.
Head north away from the crowds and check out the fabulous Cèze valley . Stop off at La Roque-sur-Cèze, where you can swim in water holes at the foot of an impressive hill-top village, or Goudargues (known jokingly, but not without cause, as the Venice of Provence), where you can kayak down the river.
