DIRECTIONS FROM THE TGV AT AVIGNON

Let me assure you, first of all, that it is impossible to lose your way in the Provence—the routes are all well marked and every road eventually will get you where you want to go! You just have to remember "bon courage"!!

The signs that are BLUE designate the Autoroute. The GREEN are the National routes and the signs that have BLACK WRITING ON A WHITE BACKGROUND are the smaller, supposedly slower roads. You will encounter many rond-points (roundabouts --- RA) and each will be well marked ---- and remember you can go 'round and 'round each RA until you are clear about which is your exit.

At the outer edge of the TGV grounds set the trip odometer on your car to zero and enter your first roundabout (RA), go immediately right (1st exit) in the direction of AUTRE DIRECTIONS. You will be on a two or three lane road.
Continue following the AUTRE DIRECTIONS or TOUTES DIRECTIONS (the signs will say one or the other, never both) exits on the roundabouts.

At 4.2 KILOMETERS (KM), you will see the first sign for CARPENTRAS. (NOTE: each signboard will list several villages; as the village you are seeking gets closer to the top of the sign you will know that you are approaching a more direct route --- do not be concerned about route numbers. Most of the French have no idea of the numbering system and the maps and signs do not always agree -SIMPLY DRIVE with the desired village as your destination).

You are still on the same road as when you began --- it wiggles and curves but you have not turned off of it yet.
At 5.6 KM, the village of SAINT SATURNIN LES AVIGNON as well as other villages will begin to appear on the signs. There is always at least one warning sign before the actual exit so move into the right lane so that you can take the exit for this village. Travel the short distance to the STOP SIGN, turn right and you are now on a road known as N100. Continue on this one lane road until . . . .

At 7.3 KM, you will come to a very large RA. A landmark as you approach this RA will be the McDo (yes, sorry but it is McDonalds) on your left. Stay in the outside lane of the RA until . . . .

At 7.7 KM, you will take the exit marked SAINT SATURNIN LES AVIGNON and PERNES LES FONTAINES. A landmark at this point will be a large store to your left as you approach the exit, name is SIMPLY. Continue in an easterly direction following the signs to SAINT SATURNIN LES AVIGNON; this will be the first village that you will actually go through. It is a curvy, twisting road but just stay on it and when you come to the small, old RA of cobblestones go THROUGH it and continue down the village street to the TRAFFIC LIGHT.

At the TRAFFIC LIGHT, the odometer will read 13.9 KM. Look across the intersection, on the opposite or left corner there will be a sign to PERNES LES FONTAINES, 11 kilometers. Go straight through the intersection and continue on this road until . . . . .
At 21.2 KM, you will be exiting the next to the last RA toward PERNES LES FONTAINES. As you exit this RA notice the two old stone walls with lovely murals on either side of the road indicating you are entering the area of PERNES.

Continue in the same direction until you come to the next and final RA at 24.0 KM. You will take the first exit to your immediate right marked ISLE SUR LA SORGUE. As a landmark there is a RENAULT garage on the corner as you turn right. You are now on a route marked D938 and heading in a southerly direction. You are getting very close.....

You will not go very far (3 to 5 blocks) when you will see on your left a large sign written on a cinderblock-like wall; CARROSSERIE ABATE, and just a little bit farther on your right a not-too-large sign announcing CHEZ LAURETTE. Just past that will be a small rectangular sign (on your right) that says MOTOCROSS and across from it (to your left) is a small country road marked Chemin les Barrades. TURN LEFT ---you will know it is the right road because a log cutting business is on the corner on your right. Drive down this small country road following its squiggles until you come to a 3-way choice of roads. Do not turn left and do not go right--- INSTEAD take the center choice which will again be marked MOTOCROSS and will have a small street sign reading CHEMIN DU VAL DE GUILHAUD. This is my street!!

Continue on this road until you come to a canal with a little bridge. Cross the canal and keep going- you will see a couple of houses/properties and then you will see my next door neighbor who has lived there since birth eighty plus years ago. She, with the help of her son, is still trying to grow vegetables to take to the Marche Agricole in Avignon five or six days a week and it is just too much for them to cope with --- consequently her property is unlike the meticulous farms so typical of France! She owns just about everything you can see around the area but that seems not to matter------ it's about the good ole' cash flow problem.
Anyway, I am the next property on the left, marked 1830. Ring the buzzer at the gate, I will answer, open the gate and walk down to welcome you. Park facing the olive grove in the area directly ahead of you as you drive onto the grounds.

A reminder that check-in is between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. unless we have made other arrangements. I will be waiting and watching for you!

Have a pleasant and safe drive. BONNE CHANCE!!

A bientot,
Georgia

Georgia Perrin
1830 Chemin Du VAal De Guilhaud
84210 Pernes-Les-Fontaines
04 90 61 26 95 {Home}
06 71 15 94 49 {Mobile}
georgia@lelavandinprovence.com

For more information regarding the TGV railway system see www.beyond.fr/travel/railtgv.html
Buy tickets online for the TGV at www.sncf.com