Avis OLIVERAIE DES ESCAVALINS - GÎTE Belgentier

We’ve spent a wonderful week at Gerry & Marks olive farm. We loved every minute of it, you even get used to the drive up to the place. It was so great we spent a few days just hanging out there and not exploring the rest of Provence.

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After a disastrous journey we finally made it to Olives en Provence. And what a treat it was! We always book out of the way places but this was perfect in its isolation - a couple of miles up an exciting unmade forestry track with no visible neighbours in any direction. Spectacular cliffs behind, and olive tree covered hills before us.

Our hosts, Gerry and Mark were incredibly welcoming, even to our children and dogs! The kids loved it (14-18) - plenty for them to explore - terraces, cliffs and a cave into the hill. We had thought they might get bored and head into the village. Luckily they really liked the location as the village is a bit of a trek. And they didn't have their bikes (see disastrous journey above).

The village of Belgentier is charming - and the restaurant we ate in (the Moulin) one of the best I have been to for a while. We definitely plan to come back for a longer stay! Thankyou Gerry and Mark!

Nous avons passé un magnifique séjour chez Géraldine et Mark, nos hôtes hyper gentils, disponibles mais discrets.
Le Domaine des Escavalins est vraiment splendide. En pleine nature, entouré d'oliviers, hors du temps et avec une vue magnifique.
Depuis le village, le chemin jusqu'au domaine est un peu long (chemin non-goudronné sur 3km) mais le dépaysement est total. Difficile à décrire tant qu'on ne l'a pas vécu. Je recommande chaudement.

So why go Home?
I try to put it in words. But it's all about being there. What I can promise is, you will be spoiled with views,smells,taste and hospitality. What Gerry and Mark built over twenty years is just great .We spent two weeks on the Domaine with our three Girls. We felt very welcome,connected,home.Had the Most wonderful time, exploring the olives,the surroundings and meeting the sheep. It is exceptional! From sun climbing up the Hills to starry nights. The scenery is even more beautiful than you can Imagine, the gite ist more comfy than you' d expect ( at the end of the world). Go there, If you have the Chance to!

I had the most wonderful week away staying within the Gîte at Olives en Provence. I went with my family and we all had a great time. The track is a little daunting at first (especially with my fear of heights), but after using it more than once, it felt no different than a normal road.

The views from the property are breathtaking and a wondrous sight to behold. One of my favourite things to do at night was staring up at the sky looking at all the stars and constellations, I have never seen such a clear sky before. Watching the sun rise over the Gîte in the morning is such a beautiful sight which you could never tire of.

There are different walks that you can do depending on your ability. When doing these walks, it’s great to look out for signs of wildlife, wether that is the different animal tracks or actual animals. We saw a tortoise once! I had a great time exploring some of the different walks, including the 45 minute walk to the village which didn’t feel like 45 minutes at all!

The village has a bakery which provides lovely breads and different treats, as well as a butcher that provided high quality meats.

Gerry & Mark are incredible hosts, and we had a wonderful time with them learning about the farm. They are always there if you ever have a question and you can see the passion they have for what they do.

The Gîte is well equipped and has all the essentials you may need, the beds are comfy and you can tell a lot of thought and effort has gone into preparing this for guests.

We did have mixed weather when we went, but we spent our less sunny days exploring the different tracks. We could see the clouds cascading down the mountain which gave it almost an ethereal look, as well as seeing some clouds further away between the mountains in the distance.

I will 100% be returning, the whole experience felt so peaceful and I had a well needed break from everyday life.

Myself, husband and twin 7 month old babies had a wonderful time here at Olives en Provence. My children loved the fresh air, peaceful enviroment and especially the plunge pool! The nature walks are truely spectacular, especially the track down into the village. The farm is so biodiverse! it's lovely to see a place so warm and welcoming yet being so close to nature. The road to the farm was a bit bumpy for our small car, but it was well worth the drive.. it really drove in reality of where we was staying. A lovely french gîte in the middle of fields of olives and spectuacular views. A big hat off to the owners Gerry and Mark who not only was extremely accommodating with our twins, but are a credit to the farming industry with their nature focused goals. We will definitely be coming back soon!

Niesamowite, przepiękne widoki i przede wszystkim cudowni gospodarze, pełni ciepła i serdeczności. Spędziliśmy niezapomniany czas w tym malowniczym, spokojnym zakątku Prowansji. W domku, który urządzony jest klimatycznie, niczego nie brakuje. Jest czysto i przytulnie. Dzieci były zachwycone basenem, w którym mogły chłodzić się do woli. Pyszna oliwa z ekologicznie uprawianych drzewek oliwnych. Tutaj czas się zatrzymuje, a problemy codziennej miejskiej rutyny idą w niepamięć. Zdjęcia nie oddają uroku i klimatu tego miejsca. Gery i Mark do Was chce się wracać :))

Le chemin de terre qui relie le village au gîte mérite vraiment d'être gravi. Quel bonheur au bout du chemin ! Le gîte est situé dans un endroit magnifique, au calme, loin de l'agitation quotidienne.
Les hôtes (Gerry et Mark) sont très accueillants. Toujours disponibles et jamais envahissants. Ils ne tarissent pas d'éloges sur leur région d'adoption. Ils sont de bons conseils pour les lieux à découvrir et bien sûr pour le choix de leur super huile d'olive bio. Elle est très bonne.
Un lieu à retenir pour les amoureux de la nature.

With our two children (5 and 7 years old) we spent a wonderful Easter holiday in this beautiful spot. Located in a dreamlike landscape on the edge of the nature park "Massif de la Sainte-Baume", the lovingly maintained accommodation is wonderfully calm. Our children loved exploring the natural environment independently and "helping" to look after the sheep. Besides adventurous hikes in wild nature, we also enjoyed the excursions to the coast and the surrounding countryside. Belgentier is a small friendly village that offers the necessary infrastructure (good bakery+butchery+pizza). We definitely want to come back.

We stayed as volunteers for the olive harvest. The location and the house are fabulous, but I came here, all these months later, to let everyone know that the olive oil they produce is the best I've ever had. Nothing compares, you should buy as much as you can when you're there.

Escavalins is a truly magical place. As you ascend the track, you get a real sense of disconnecting from the hustle bustle of every day life and find yourself becoming part of nature. Once there, you're greeted by a beautiful place to stay and a selection of local treats that will delight as you start your adventure. From there, the natural world is your oyster. The sights, the sounds, the air, all play together to create something truly bigger than the sum of its parts. It's a little piece of heaven!

Un lieu rare, un moment d'exception, une belle respiration où toute temporalité disparaît. Lové au cœur de la Sainte Baume, tout est propice à la détente entre oliviers, chèvres, et un paysage à couper le souffle. Bref, un vrai régal !