![]() We were led on down to the less formal lower terraces passing through the Jardin des Fées with its interesting water feature, created at the landing point of the two halves of a huge boulder which had become dislodged from the cliff during the great storm of May 1993. Next to the pool, providing an element of surprise and historical interest, there is a 7th-century grotto set into the rock face. Descending these stairs, we emerged on to a perfectly manicured lawn surrounding the swimming pool. The owners decided that this would be the perfect place to construct a stone tower containing a spiral staircase to link the upper terrace to the pool and lower gardens. At this time there were no connecting stairs between the upper and lower terraces, but one day, as Head Gardener Cédric Lafaye was pruning ivy from the rampart walls, he discovered an old archway. The celebrated garden designer Nicole de Vésian had a saying, ‘listen to the stones and they will speak’, and when in 1996 the owners along with the designer and interior decorator Michel Biehn, began to restore the garden, this proved valuable advice. There were several stylish and comfortable seating areas and one noticed the perfectly co-ordinated colour schemes of the fabrics used. Elegant urns filled with white hydrangea and solanum decorated the terraces, along with containers of spiral-stemmed orange trees. Neatly clipped box surrounded the beds of Rosa ‘Iceberg’, and everywhere was the sound of running water from the numerous fountains. The stunning blue of the agapanthus flowers contrasted with the simple green and white colour scheme. Ventoux and over the perfectly laid out upper terraced garden. Surrounded by Italian cypresses ( Cupressus sempervirens), climbing roses, antique terracotta pots and topiary balls of Buxus sempervirens, we were led on to a terrace under a wisteria-clad pergola with views to Mt. We entered the courtyard through an archway and ancient wooden door and immediately knew that this garden visit was going to be very special. Its 6,500 square metres of terraced gardens nestled into the cliff face have spectacular views northwards across the Luberon to Mt. In the heart of the beautiful medieval hilltop village of Ménerbes stands La Carmejane, an 11th-century bastide. A visit to the garden of la Carmejane in Ménerbes
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