Isle-sur-la-Sorgue in Provence makes for the perfect weekend destination year-round thanks to its status as the antiques capital of France. Not to mention the fact that it is one of the prettiest towns you’ll ever meet, Full of charming restaurants, bars and cafés and a buzzing atmosphere.
Janine Marsh falls head over heels for the little antiques paradise
I arrived in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue on a sultry evening having travelled by train from Paris. My base was the Hotel Les Terrasses and the first thing I did when I got to the room was fling open the windows to drink in the views. Bang, smack over the top of the famous Basin de Sorgue or as the locals call it Le Bassin Bouïgas, dusk was falling, lights glowed softly in trees, the reflections shimmering gently on the surface of the clear water. The sound of laughter, light chatter and glasses clinking floated up to my window tempting me to join the diners below.
It’s an iconic sight that little lake, restaurants line the terraces around it, birds sing in the trees and it is the perfect place for people watching. A glass of rosé, the favourite drink of Provence, was set in front of me with a dish of crusty bread and dark tapenade. The scent of the crushed olives filled the air, my determination to diet dissolved, won over by the smell and the sight of the little dishes.
The warm air and the pink and purple sky made for a magical moment and I couldn’t help thinking “it doesn’t get much better than this”. My salad was delicious, the ambiance was wonderful and I couldn’t fault my first night in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. I slept like a baby and woke up to deep blue skies and the sound of the town coming to – it’s enough to make you fall in love with a place.