One of the many wonderful things about Provence is that it plays host to an array of different landscapes for such a relatively small area. The Garrique is a type of scrubland which is home to wild herbs such as thyme, rosemary and sage as well as lavender. In the summer there you see hundreds of fields completely covered in lavender. This is used to produce perfumes, soaps and bags of dried flowers that are popular items found on market stalls around Provence. The tradition of using the essence of lavender goes right back to when Roman housekeepers used lavender to make the linen smell fresh, as well as using it to fragrance the house and bath water. In the Caramarque you can find marshes where rice is growing and wild bulls roam.
In stark contrast there is Mont Ventoux which adds a white rocky texture to the surrounding landscape. Provence even has its own small scale Arizona in the form of the red Estérel hills. In the subsequent valleys you will find an assortment of vines, fruit and olive trees. There are also areas of Mediterranean oak and pine trees.
Provence offers so many dramatic landscapes that by the end of your visit you can feel like you have had several holidays in one.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Retirees Are Drawn to Desert Landscape and Affordable Homes in Arizona’s Mission Royale
In the town of Casa Grande, Arizona (population 40,000), about 45 minutes south of Phoenix and 55 minutes north of Tucson, is the all-ages master-planned community of Mission Royale, a development by Meritage Homes. Within this development is the age-restricted (55+) community of Mission Royale (same name), a neighborhood of 1,290 new and resale single family homes. This section of Mission Royale is still adding new homes, and construction, which began in 2003, is expected to continue until 2012.
There are eleven floor plans from which to choose when looking to buy a brand new home. Prices range from $159,900 to $235,900, and sizes range from 1,071 sq. ft., with two bedrooms, two baths and an attached 2-car garage (the Casa Clara model) to 2,212 sq. ft. with three bedrooms, 2 baths and an attached 2-car garage (the San Carlos model). Home exteriors are neutral colors, designed to blend into the surrounding desert landscape. All homes have one-story, a covered patio, a great room, spacious floor plans, lots of natural light, concrete tile roofs and a landscaped front yard.
Mission Royale comes with many of the standard amenities, but one of the best may be the views of the Casa Grande Mountains and the surrounding desert. When not taking in the desert landscape, dry air and blue skies, residents spend quality time enjoying the 15,000 sq. ft. clubhouse, state-of-the-art fitness center, three swimming pools, an aerobics studio, four tennis courts, a computer lab, a library and hiking, biking and jogging trails (these amenities are separate from the larger community’s amenities). Mission Royale is also next door to the Mission Royale Golf Course, a public, a 18-hole course, and a new shopping center, The Promenade at Casa Grande, with 75 stores (everything from Dillards to Target to Best Buy) has recently opened not far from the community.
The HOA fees are roughly $275 per quarter and cover outdoor maintenance, trash removal, access to amenities and infrastructure upkeep.
Casa Grande is a rural farming community but is growing fast, and 35% of its population is age 45 or better. The downtown area offers some tasty restaurants, and there are two senior centers, a fitness center, two museums, a public pool, an archery range, four golf courses and 18 area parks. A drawback to the area is that the crime rate is higher than the national average.
Summers are hot, hot, hot, with temperatures reaching more than 100 degrees in July and August, but winters are mild with temperatures in the 30s, 40s and 50s. Precipitation is less than an inch a month, and the sun shine nearly 90% of the time. Humidity starts out at around 60% in the mornings but drops to practically nothing by afternoon.
Not sure where to retire? We’ll show you where! Check out Great Retirement Communities where baby boomers and pre-baby boomers find the best age restricted communities, active adult communities, master planned communities, RV communities and more. All in one place. Updated daily and weekly. Honest, unbiased reviews and community snapshots.
There are eleven floor plans from which to choose when looking to buy a brand new home. Prices range from $159,900 to $235,900, and sizes range from 1,071 sq. ft., with two bedrooms, two baths and an attached 2-car garage (the Casa Clara model) to 2,212 sq. ft. with three bedrooms, 2 baths and an attached 2-car garage (the San Carlos model). Home exteriors are neutral colors, designed to blend into the surrounding desert landscape. All homes have one-story, a covered patio, a great room, spacious floor plans, lots of natural light, concrete tile roofs and a landscaped front yard.
Mission Royale comes with many of the standard amenities, but one of the best may be the views of the Casa Grande Mountains and the surrounding desert. When not taking in the desert landscape, dry air and blue skies, residents spend quality time enjoying the 15,000 sq. ft. clubhouse, state-of-the-art fitness center, three swimming pools, an aerobics studio, four tennis courts, a computer lab, a library and hiking, biking and jogging trails (these amenities are separate from the larger community’s amenities). Mission Royale is also next door to the Mission Royale Golf Course, a public, a 18-hole course, and a new shopping center, The Promenade at Casa Grande, with 75 stores (everything from Dillards to Target to Best Buy) has recently opened not far from the community.
The HOA fees are roughly $275 per quarter and cover outdoor maintenance, trash removal, access to amenities and infrastructure upkeep.
Casa Grande is a rural farming community but is growing fast, and 35% of its population is age 45 or better. The downtown area offers some tasty restaurants, and there are two senior centers, a fitness center, two museums, a public pool, an archery range, four golf courses and 18 area parks. A drawback to the area is that the crime rate is higher than the national average.
Summers are hot, hot, hot, with temperatures reaching more than 100 degrees in July and August, but winters are mild with temperatures in the 30s, 40s and 50s. Precipitation is less than an inch a month, and the sun shine nearly 90% of the time. Humidity starts out at around 60% in the mornings but drops to practically nothing by afternoon.
Not sure where to retire? We’ll show you where! Check out Great Retirement Communities where baby boomers and pre-baby boomers find the best age restricted communities, active adult communities, master planned communities, RV communities and more. All in one place. Updated daily and weekly. Honest, unbiased reviews and community snapshots.
Friday, September 3, 2010
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