• 
• Welcome
• House and terraces
• Pool and garden
• Apartment
• Location
• A visitor's journal
• Rates
• RSVP

Located in the heart of the southern Côtes du Rhône

Bello Visto is located high in the old village of Cairanne in the northern part of Provence. The village is known all over France for its excellent wine, which is labeled with the Cairanne, Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation. The village is on the southern Côtes du Rhône wine route and is centrally located in the heart of this exceptional wine region. From the terraces of Bello Visto, guests have a panoramic view of this region—a view that extends from Mt. Ventoux and the Dentelles de Montmirail mountain range in the southeast past the Aigues River in the southwest to the city of Orange on the horizon. This panorama is a spectacular vista of vineyards and villages.

Panoramic view from Bello Visto

The village of Cairanne

The charming village of Cairanne is located about ten miles northeast of Orange. Cairanne is equidistant between Vaison-la-Romaine and Orange, both of which are known for their extraordinary Roman ruins. Each is within a 15-minute drive from Cairanne. Other fabulous Roman ruins, such as the Pont du Gard, are easily accessed by the A7 and A9 autoroute entrances (15 minutes’ drive).

The following village shops and restaurants are all within a very short walk from the house:

• Boucherie artisinale (butcher shop, handmade sausages)
• Charming, well-stocked épicerie (all necessities, good cheese, fresh produce, deli items)
• Boulangerie (bakery, bread and pastries)
• Maison de la presse (newspapers, magazines, telephone cards, etc.)
• Bistro restaurant
• Bar/restaurant
• Gourmet restaurant
• Three wine stores in town center with wine tasting (many more within Cairanne boundaries)

There's wonderful food everywhere in the area, but especially noteworthy is Le Grand Pré, just up the road in Roaix, which recently received a Michelin star—and deserves it. We're also uncommonly fond of sitting outside and enjoying the pizza at La Maison Bleue in Villedieu and relishing leisurely, moderately priced gourmet lunches and dinners at the two fine restaurants in Cairanne—Le Tourne au Verre and Castel Mireio.

More information about Cairanne is available at the ProvenceWeb and Vaucluse Virtual Visits sites.

The southern Côtes du Rhône

One of the eighteen named Côtes du Rhône Villages, Cairanne is noted for its fine wines. Other notable wine villages like Rasteau, Seguret, Sablet, Beaumes de Venise, Vacqueyras, Gigondas and Chateauneuf du Pape are only a few kilometers away.

A scenic stop on the southern Côtes du Rhône wine route, Cairanne is within an easy drive of all the other Côtes du Rhône Villages and the grand crus. And the vineyards of the northern Côtes du Rhône are only about an hour's drive away.

More information about the wines of the Rhone Valley can be found at Inter Rhône.

Provence

Provence is endlessly fascinating. In the area close to Cairanne, you'll find spectacular natural beauty, delightful towns, Roman ruins, Medieval castles, Impressionist meccas, vibrant local markets, traffic-free motoring, easygoing hiking and some of the greatest vineyards (and wine tasting) in the world. And you may be surprised at how many of the people of Provence are more than happy to speak with you in English.

A recent visitor to Bello Visto took the pictures below. His collection of photos is online and gives a good sense of the joys that Provence offers.

The weather

Information about average high and low temperatures and precipitation by month can be found at MSN Weather. Daily and extended forecasts are also available from Weather.com.

Traveling to Cairanne

Cairanne is an easy 15-minute drive from the A7 and A9 autoroute interchanges in Orange. A station for the high-speed TGV train is a half hour's drive, in Avignon. Cairanne is conveniently served by the international airport at Marseille, an hour away.

Aerial view of Bello Visto (outlined in red)