Milano, upstairs and quiet

A few steps up, the door opens, and the Milano room shows itself in one glance. Eighteen square metres, no more, and everything sits where it should. Pale walls, wide stone flags that hold the cool underfoot, and a 160 cm double bed at the centre beneath a dark wooden headboard. Two orange cushions embroidered with elephants pick up the Asian thread that runs through the whole house.

Light comes in through a window framed with white voile and settles on the trees of the grounds. In the morning it wakes the room gently. In the evening, two reading lights are enough. Outside, the old trees and the Aigues Brun river bring a quiet you would not expect so close to the village.

The comfort here is plain and complete: individual air conditioning you set yourself, a private bathroom with a walk-in shower lined in pale stone, a courtesy tray for the first tea of the day, HD television, free Wi-Fi and free parking. The room is non-smoking. It sits on the first floor and is reached by stairs, worth knowing if your luggage is heavy.

Milano is made for two. A couple spending a night or two in Lourmarin, with no need for a large room, who would rather keep the budget for the rest: a table in the evening, a drink under the trees, a day on an electric bike along the back roads of the Luberon.

On Friday mornings the market takes over the centre of the village. From Milano you walk down and come back with a basket. Our guide to the Lourmarin market gives the times and the quieter hours; things to do in Lourmarin covers the rest of the week.

What stands out

• A bright 18 m² on the first floor, reached by stairs
• One 160 cm double bed, 2 guests maximum
• Individual air conditioning and walk-in shower
• Lourmarin village a few minutes away on foot
• Free Wi-Fi and parking, non-smoking room