La Petite Nice 

We stayed five nights at La Petite Nice in Barjols. First impression: Very charming, generous space, absolutely quiet. The house and the interior are old-fashioned style, like it used to be in grandmère's time, but all is well taken care of, functioning and clean. A good indicator is always the bathroom, which has all new taps, sink etc. You do have to request the room to be cleaned in the morning, but that is only a minor drawback - you'll forget it right away when you sit at late breakfast in the lush garden, under trees and between all kinds of plants, terracing up the steep hill behind the house, butterflies all around. Croissants, home-made jam and reading the news with the free wi-fi or getting excursion tips from the relaxed but always active owners (an artist couple) make for a perfect start in the day! The little village Barjols is off the beaten track, maybe even a secret tip. It may not be as stunningly pretty as the many other hilltop villages in the Provence, but it has original character and it is not overcrowded with tourists, like other villages closer to the Verdon gorges. From here you can easily reach the gorges in about half an hour, but it's also not far from Sillans-la-Cascade, Draguignan, Manosque and the larger cities at the Côte d'Azur. We found it the perfect location for getting to know the Southeast of the Provence. Coast, mountains, waterfalls, lavender fields, vineyards, forests - all at easy reach.