Pickled-in the-past villages, hillsides blanketed in grape vines, captivating chateaux and gastronomic delights: Luberon in the heart of Provence has everything a Francophile could possibly desire.
Provence is popular for good reason – it’s a land of enchantment, think lavender fields and medieval villages that lure visitors like moths to a flame, especially in the summer months. But visit off-season, and it’s altogether quieter, not to mention cooler – perfect for festivals, cultural visits, cycling, hiking, vineyard visits; blossom and fields of crimson poppies in spring, a golden landscape in autumn, and truffle hunting in winter, though in January and February, many hotels, shops and restaurants are closed.
One of the loveliest parts of Provence is known as the Luberon – a mountain range and a protected natural regional park which spans the departments of Vaucluse and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. It’s also where you’ll find some of the most beautiful and legendary villages of France.
Lourmarin
I arrived in Lourmarin, my base for exploring the Luberon, on a warm and sunny spring day. I booked into the lovely Le Moulin hotel, resisting a dip in the pool to head to the Chateau of Lourmarin, which I’d spotted on the way into the village and couldn’t wait to explore. Perched on a hill, its walls were covered in waterfalls of jasmine and cascades of roses every shade of pink, their perfume filled the warm air with perfume, and the ravishing view from the chateau’s courtyard over the village stopped me in my tracks.
The stately chateau, part 16th-century Renaissance, part medieval, was purchased in the 1920s by an art-loving industrialist from Lyon, Robert Laurent-Vibert, who restored it with the aid of archive documents and ancient engravings. Now an exhibition centre, the rooms are beautifully furnished, the double spiral medieval staircase is magnificent, the library is exquisite, filled with exceptional and ancient travel books, and there is a superb collection of rare musical instruments.
Lourmarin is officially one of the prettiest villages in France (Plus Beaux Villages), one of five in the Luberon (the others are Ansouis, Menerbes, Gordes and Roussillon). But this is no Disney fairy tale village, though it is as charming as one.
With a population of around 1000 permanent residents, it’s a rather sleepy place, except on Friday mornings – market day, when people come from far and wide to buy at stalls piled high with vegetables, fruit, cheese, honey and all manner of delicious products, as well as homewares and fashion. In its mostly pedestrianised cobbled lanes, artisan workshops, artists’ galleries and chic boutiques sit alongside a pharmacy, bank, food stores and boulangeries.
Head off into the warren of streets in the town, and you may spot the ancient laverie, a stone basin where women would wash garments in the Middle Ages. It’s still a communal area in a gated garden, and here the older ladies of the town meet, stopping to sit and gossip about who is marrying whom and who is doing what whilst pegging out their washing. Locals call it the gossip garden – the place where you get all the news. Traditions and the Provencal way of life are revered here.
There are plenty of restaurants, from snack food to fine dining, and afterwards wander the streets for a post-dinner walk, spotting cats that wriggle coquettishly at the side of the road trying to tempt you to rub their bellies as you listen to amorous frogs croaking in garden ponds.
After one day in Lourmarin, I was chilled. After two days, I felt like a local.
The joy of Luberon is not just in its beauty. It’s not a place to rush around but to take your time, savour the details, sit at a café for hours, explore the markets, do a wine tasting, olive oil tasting, eat good food, make your own lavender bag, meet artisans, feel the spirituality of the Abbaye de Senanque – so much to experience, so many beautiful villages, so much joy. It’s a place that touches your soul.
Discover the Lubaron – 15 things to do
I could write a book on all there is to do in the Luberon, but here are some favourites, all less than one hour by car from Lourmarin.
Gordes
The view of this hilltop beauty from the road below is iconic, otherworldly almost (stop at the Bel Air rock for the best views). Explore its ancient streets to admire the fountains, boutiques, and honey-coloured buildings, you’ll be in good company – Renoir, Picasso, Matisse and Van Gogh all put brush to canvas here in Gordes. It’s busy on Tuesday mornings year-round as locals come from far and wide for the street market. Halfway up the steep rue de Belvedere, if you blink you could easily miss the Caves du Palais Saint Firmin, 1000-year-old caves built deep into the hillsides. And if you’re there for national event days, Rendez-Vous aux Jardins (the 1st weekend of June) and Heritage Days (the 3rd weekend of September), you can visit the extraordinary terraced gardens that make you feel as if you’re in the sky.
Menerbes
On the day I visited (in May), Menerbes was quiet and almost empty of visitors, hard to imagine that it was once overrun with fans of the late, great Peter Mayle, one-time resident. Don’t just stick to the main street like many do; get lost in a labyrinth of cobblestone streets where perfect views over the countryside await on every corner. Pop into the Dora Maar museum, Picasso’s muse and lover and an artist ahead of her time. Dine outdoors at Bistrot Le 5 for the magnificent views and dishes (leave room for dessert – they are worth it).
Roussillon
Surely one of the most photogenic villages of France – Roussillon is a village of hilly streets lined with buildings the colour of sun-kissed oranges and lemons overlooking cliffs of ochre. Visit at the end of the day to see the sun cast shadows and the colours zing. And pop into Bals’Art for a vinegar tasting – yes, really. This is no ordinary vinegar, we’re talking Balsamics and creams, thick, syrupy and addictive! balsart.com
Goult
Part of the charm of Goult lies in the fact that it is not so well-known as some of the villages. Discover the unspoiled preserved buildings, secret shepherds’ huts, friendly cafés, hidden squares and the hilltop Moulin de Jerusalem.
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
If you love antiquing, l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is the place to go. Six ‘villages’, 300 dealers selling antiques, vintage and bric-a-brac year-round. Don’t miss La Boutique de Francine – an outstanding collection of textiles that have taken decades to source.
Essential Provence
Lavender Museum: Whatever time of year you visit, lavender, the healing and symbolic ancient aromatic, is an integral part of the heritage of the region. And even if it’s not in bloom (mid-June to early August when its harvested) a visit to the Musée de la Lavande of the Chateau du Bois where they’ve been making lavender for more than 130 years, is to experience the secrets and history of lavender in Provence. They also have a superb shop, and workshops including one where you can make your own lavender bag. museedelalavande.com
Olive Oil tasting: Olive oil is one of the essential tastes of Provence, and at the family-run Moulin du Clos des Jeannons, you’ll get to experience quite possibly the best olive oil you’ve ever had the pleasure of sipping. Yes, sipping, because when olive oil is this good, you do a tasting as if it’s wine, and as you stand at the tasting bar, a guide will explain how the olives have to be picked at the perfect moment from their 6000 trees, and bottled by hand. Leave room in your case to take some home.
Wine tasting: At the Château Saint-Pierre de Mejans in Puyvert, just 3.5km from Lourmarin, enjoy a wine tasting alongside art in the gorgeous gardens. A former Benedictine chateau, dated to 1118, is incredibly well-preserved with a Romanesque chapel and thick stone walls. Its vineyards produce delicious, organic rosé, white and sparkling wines – a true taste of the Luberon. Visits include a gourmet cheese and charcuterie tasting, and a picnic in the garden surrounded by a collection of sculptures by artists from around the world. They host frequent events here, from truffle-themed dinners to concerts. saintpierredemejans.com/en
Bonnieux
Bonnieux’s steep upper streets are lined with 800-year-old houses built on top of even older buildings and caves. It’s very popular for visits and understandably so – it really is incredibly pretty, and surrounded by lavender fields. If you remember the beautiful chateau La Siroque in the film A Good Year, it’s here – in real life, it’s the Chateau La Canorgue, a wine estate. Visit their wine shop and be amazed that the chateau looks just as gorgeous as it does in the film!
Curcuron
Go to Curcuron on a Tuesday morning to enjoy the market, which is set up around the iconic Bassin de L’Etang. There are a handful of cafés, restaurants and an ice cream shop around this limpid, lake-like reservoir, which has been there since at least the start of the 1400s, built to hold water for the mills. Lovers of the film A Good Year will recognise this as the stunning setting that Max and Fanny went to for their first date to watch a black and white movie under the 200-year-old plane trees. It’s not greatly touristy in Cucuron, a tranquil, pretty little town that has an authentic, real-life feel. Wander the heritage trail to see sites from the castle dungeon to the ancient church and take in the views over the countryside from the top of the town.
Oppède Le Vieux
Step back in time in this forgotten hilltop village where 15th and 16th century houses seem to defy gravity on the steep cobbled streets. Oppède le Vieux is tranquil, unspoiled and with stunning views over the Vaucluse, and the Giant of Provence’ – Mont Ventoux, in the distance. There are a few shops, artisan boutiques and a couple of restaurants. A place to stop and soak up the ancient ambience. It is quite simply spellbinding.
Go for a swim
The Luberon is landlocked, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go to the beach and have a swim! The Étang de la Bonde is a man-made freshwater lake, loved by the locals for a refreshing dip and water activities (about 10 miles from Lourmarin).
Abbaye de Senanque
The Abbaye de Senanque is an iconic sight, surrounded by lavender fields worked by Cistercian Monks, the abbey de Senanque was completed in 1220 after 60 years of building. The Gothic, majestic and serene beauty of the abbey, both inside and out, the tranquillity – the monks still follow the precepts of Cistercian monastic life: liturgical prayer sung in church; silent reading, meditation, and prayer; and manual and intellectual work, make this a unique visit. Also, the shop is brilliant, ideal for gift buying and souvenirs.
Les Mines de Bruoux
A short way from Roussillon in the village of Gargas, you can visit a former ochre mine with a spectacularly coloured labyrinth of towering, cathedral-like underground galleries (accessible for reduced mobility but not recommended for significant walking difficulties).
Apt, capital of the Luberon
The sweet-toothed will find it hard to leave the beautiful, ancient town of Apt that’s been famous for producing crystallised fruit for centuries. Past customers include the Popes of Avignon. Make like the locals and dip the candied treats in melted chocolate!
Find heaps more information, places to visit and year-round events at: destinationluberon.com
Where to stay: Hotel le Lourmarin, a former 18th-century mill, offers cool, airy rooms, a fabulous terraced bar (and the best homemade lemonade I’ve ever had!), and the hotel restaurant, Bacheto, serves superb dishes, has a great ambience, and a fabulous courtyard for outdoor dining.
Janine Marsh is the author of several best-selling books about France. Find all books on her website janinemarsh.com
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