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Home » Blog » Aurel, Pretty Hamlet in the Hills of Provence
Provence-The-Village-of-Aurel

Aurel, Pretty Hamlet in the Hills of Provence

//  by Simon//  7 Comments

I would probably have never visited Aurel, one of the many villages perched on the hills of Provence, if I hadn’t  overnighted.

Provence-Aurel-The-Old-Café-Jouve

The view on the surrounding hills is lovely and the hamlet is perfectly positioned for a drive across the purple lavender fields, to visit a lavender farm and to do some ‘village-hopping’, starting from the lovely town of Sault and its morning market.

Aurel-Overlooking-the-Hills-of-Provence

Aurel, a sleepy Provence hamlet full of charm

Compared to other nearby towns like Gordes, Roussillon and Menerbes, included in the list of the most beautiful villages in France, Aurel is a quiet and quaint little town and a favorite to cyclists looking for a challenge (and certainly a lot of fun) pedalling up and down the rolling hills.

With less than 200 residents, Aurel has the sleepy charm of a Provence hamlet that preserved most of its authenticity. Narrow alleys, old houses with pastel colored shutters and doors, simple but tasteful flower decorations.

As I strolled around, I was impressed by the silence and the emptiness. I met only a handful of elderly people for Aurel, like many small towns, was abandoned by young people who moved to the cities in quest of a job and more entertainment. In some way it’s saddening, although it’s as well the reason Aurel kept its flare of yore.
The style of the village reflects the history and economy of this area of Provence, rural and poor. The pretty fountain in the main square, where many locals still stop to refill bottles, reminds of how scarce water is in this region.
No signs of the ‘grandeur’ of France’s big cities. The charm of Aurel and of Provence is in its tasteful simplicity.

Aurel-Overlooking-the-Hills-of-Provence

Provence-Aurel-Details

Practical Information:

Getting there: Aurel is about 130 km (81 mi) from Marseille, 70km (43 mi) from Avignon and 115 km (71 mi) from Aix-en-Provence. Unless you’re traveling to Provence with your own vehicle, hiring a car is highly recommended.

Where to stay: The Relais du Mont Ventoux, an old coaching inn, is a simple but charming guest house with a beautiful view on the countryside and serving excellent food. Don’t miss to stop for lunch or dinner. The restaurant is excellent and the view from  terrace overlooking the surrounding hills is enchanting.

______

Note: I was kindly invited by Atout France Italy and  Provence Guide  to discover Provence and the Vaucluse area, and the many enchanting villages of the region.  As always, opinions and thoughts are exclusively mine. 

 

Simon

Travel addict and passionate about photography, Simon Falvo started Wild About Travel back in 2009. Leveraging her strong PR background, she developed an extensive knowledge of Digital Communications and Social Media Marketing. Besides travel writing Simon holds workshops and trainings, she collaborated with tourism boards for digital marketing campaigns and participated as a speaker at several events.

Category: FRANCETag: charming towns, europe, unusual destinations

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. A Lady in London

    at

    Great post! I love Provence!

    Reply
  2. Quyen

    at

    I’ve only been to Marseille and Avignon, but your pictures of Aurel looks so beautiful, peaceful, and quaint!

    Reply
  3. Corinne

    at

    Another gorgeous French town to add to my list. I love the signs when you enter a town that tells you in flowers, one, two, or three usually how beautiful a town is. Love it Simon!

    Reply
    • Simon Falvo

      at

      There are so many enchanting villages in Provence that one can easily spend one month just visiting them. I hope to go back next year and see some more.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Porretta Terme: Hot Springs, Pretty Town and Scenic Railway says:
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    […] villages like Craco Ghost Town in the Basilicata region, or the enchanting hamlet of Aurel in Provence. Porretta Terme sounded ‘exotic’ enough for me to decide and go for a […]

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  2. A Virtual Stroll in Albi and the Tarn through Instagram says:
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    […] remember that one of the things that fascinated me in the small towns of Provence, like the pretty hamlet of Aurel, were the colorful […]

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  3. Purple and Green: Across the Lavender Fields in Provence says:
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    […] The beauty of the lavender fields is completed by the charming villages dotting the area, like Sault and its local street market, or the small but enchanting hamlet of Aurel. […]

    Reply

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simon-falvo

Hi, I’m Simon!

A solo and independent traveler for over 20 years, and a 50+ girl young at heart.

I worked for over a decade in Investment Banking, then a few years in one of the largest international PR groups. In 2009, after a burn-out, I left the corporate world and started a new adventure.

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