Christian Holiday Flat, Alpes de Haute Provence — By the Durance, Below Sisteron
This Christian holiday flat, Alpes de Haute Provence, is a self-contained ground floor apartment in Château-Arnoux, a small Provençal town on the banks of the river Durance. The flat shares a garden with the owners and looks straight out over the Durance valley, with a pool for summer and a hot tub for cooler months. Everything for daily life is within walking distance: a boulangerie, a supermarket, and a choice of restaurants from wood-fired pizzerias to Michelin-starred dining, alongside markets selling Provence’s own lavender, honey, olive oil, and orchard fruit.
The town takes its name from its own château, a striking Renaissance building at its heart. Built between 1510 and 1515 by Pierre de Glandevès on the footings of an older fortress, it still carries medieval defences, thick walls, arrow slits, gun ports, beneath Renaissance mullioned windows and a glazed roof. Its famous spiral staircase, 84 steps cut from a single stone and carved with mythological figures, is unique in the south of France. The château now serves as the town hall, and its staircase can be visited by appointment.
Fifteen kilometres south, the town of Sisteron guards the point where the Durance forces its way through a narrow gap in the mountains, a natural chokepoint that earned Sisteron the old title “gateway to Provence.” Armies, traders, and pilgrims alike had little choice but to pass beneath its clifftop citadel for centuries, and the fortress still dominates the skyline above the river today, one of the most dramatic sights in this part of the Alps.
This corner of Provence also has a starring role in one of French history’s most famous journeys. In March 1815, Napoleon marched this way during his return from exile on Elba, camping his troops just up the road at Malijai before sending men ahead to secure Sisteron. He stopped for lunch in the town on 5 March, a plaque on Rue Saunerie still marking the spot, before continuing north to reclaim his throne in Paris.
Below the citadel stands Sisteron’s Cathédrale Notre-Dame-des-Pommiers, built in Romanesque style between around 1160 and 1220 under Bishop Henri de Suse, with Lombard craftsmen brought in for the work. One of the largest religious buildings in Provence, it served as the cathedral seat of the Bishops of Sisteron until the diocese was merged into Digne in 1801. Local legend says its name, meaning “Our Lady of the Apple Orchards,” comes from the orchard the cathedral was built on, and its unusual dome and carved northern portal are still considered rare survivals of Provençal Romanesque church-building.
The Durance itself has shaped this valley for far longer than either building has stood. Neolithic settlers used its banks for trade, and in Gallo-Roman times it became a genuine highway, navigable by boat and shadowed on land by the Via Domitia, the road linking Italy to Spain. The Escale dam a little downstream has since turned part of the river into a broad reservoir, but from the flat’s garden it’s still recognisably the same valley that has carried travellers north and south for thousands of years.
Sisteron itself, along with Aix-en-Provence and Marseille, is easily reached for a day out, while the wider selection of HolyHols properties in France is worth a browse for anyone planning a longer trip around the country. Closer to home, the Château-Arnoux château itself is worth the short walk from the flat, especially for anyone who enjoys a good staircase.
Perfect for:
- Clergy and church workers wanting real quiet, Provençal sunshine, and a garden to sit in
- History lovers keen to explore Sisteron’s citadel, cathedral, and the town’s own Renaissance château
- Families wanting a pool in summer and easy day trips out to the Verdon Gorges
- Guests who need flat, step-free access, both indoors and out
- Anyone happy with a simpler, kitchen-table pace after a demanding year
Location
Château-Arnoux, Alpes de Haute Provence, France
How to get there:
Closest airport Marseille, from there direct coach (LER line 26) or train via Aix en Provence.
By car, Château-Arnoux is just off the motorway A51 (Exit 20 coming from the South, or 21 from North).
Nearest Town:
Sisteron 15 km ; Aix-en-Provence 100 km ; Marseille 120 km
Local Area
All amenities nearby, supermarket, boulangerie, secondhand shop, and cinema within walking distance.
Choice of restaurants both in town (good range from Michelin starred to wood fired pizzeria), and surrounding villages.
Locally produced fruit and vegetable (apples, pears, peaches, apricots etc depending on season), cheese, honey, olive oil, lavender flavoured products and other local Provence specialities on markets and in shops.
The Alpes de Haute Provence area offers spectacular mountain ranges, lakes and unspoilt countryside, very popular for touring, hiking and biking. The world-famous Verdon gorges, skiing resorts and the Mediterranean are all just over an hour’s drive from Château-Arnoux.
If you don’t fancy getting in the car, there is a choice of walks on the doorstep and an outdoor swimming pool on the property to cool down in (open from May to September), or a hot-tub to warm up in!
Facilities
Self-contained quiet and comfortable ground floor flat, water and heating included, access to garden (shared with owners, direct view on the river Durance valley). Sleeps 3 comfortably, 4 max.
Large double bedroom + 1 single + 1 sofa bed. Bedding and towels provided.
Well equipped kitchen with dishwasher / living room with TV ; wifi ; direct access to garden.
Bathroom with walk-in shower and washing machine.
Disabled friendly, flat and outdoor area, secure car parking just outside the front door.
Child bed and high chair available.
Additional Photos
Click to expand
Costs
Weekly charge £400 (October to April), £500 (May & September), £600 (June to August),
Discounts – e.g. Clergy and Church staff
10% discount for two week bookings and further discounts for longer stays.
10% discount for clergy and church staff staying a week or more.
Energy Provision:
All utilities included at no extra charge.
Availability
Available all year round.
Arrival and Departure times:
Arrivals from 3 pm; Departures by 10 am
Guests are required to ensure that the property is clean and tidy at the end of their stay, alternatively end of stay cleaning can be arranged at extra cost £50.
Booking arrangements:
Saturday to Saturday. Shorter stays possible during off peak season, by arrangement.
Pets: No pets please
Contact the Owner
If you are interested in making a booking, or you would like further information, please get in touch using the following details:
Name: Daniel & Elisabeth Porteous
Email Address: chateauarnoux04@gmail.com
Tel (FR): +33 767 230 954