A Quick Driving Tour of the Luberon Villages in Provence

We invited some friends to visit us in early September in Provence. When they agreed, we jumped into planning mode and created an itinerary that would interest first-timers and those who had previously visited. It’s challenging to plan a holiday agenda that balances the needs of an active group who want to see the region without feeling exhausted. One of the highlights of their trip was a car rally through the Alpilles. Near the end of the week, one of the couples had a day to explore independently, and we suggested this quick driving tour of the Luberon Villages.

• Gordes
• Goult
• Roussillon
• Bonnieux
• Lacoste
• Ménerbes
• Oppède

Gordes

The village of Gordes is one of the most beautiful villages in France. (Les Plus Beaux Villages de France). Perched high above the Calavon valley in the Luberon, it has been strategically important throughout history. Today, with a population of just over 1,600, the village offers modern amenities that cater to residents and visitors alike. Gordes has some excellent restaurants, as well as luxury accommodations and spas.

The Plus Beau Village of Gordes ©Paul Shawcross

What to See

Visit the 16^th-century, medieval Château de Gordes to see amazing panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. The Château also hosts art exhibitions, concerts, and cultural festivals annually.

Less than two kilometres from Gordes, you’ll find the Village des Bories, “Les Savournins.” This historic site is comprised of hut-like dwellings constructed using dry stone masonry. The buildings originally served as temporary shelter for shepherds and farm workers.

Village des Bories

To see some of the best lavender fields in Provence, visit l’Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque. The abbey was constructed in the 1100s and is still home to Cistercian monks who tend the lavender fields. Their gift shop has many lavender products, including lavender honey, made on-site.

Market Day

Tuesdays are market day in Gordes in the town centre between 08:00-13:00 all year round. Besides the locally grown produce, you’ll find herbs, spices, and flowers. Many local artisans have stalls selling handmade paintings, linens, soaps, and home décor items. The Christmas market (the weekend before Christmas) is held in the Chateau and Chapelle des Pénitents.

Goult

The village of Goult is a hidden gem in the Luberon. With barely over a thousand permanent residents, tourists do not overrun this town. It’s also a beautiful village. Some of the stone and ochre buildings have been restored and renovated. However, they still retain the unique quality and character of the village, complementing the stone walls and archways surrounding the old town. Many picturesque streets are lined with flowering plants that look beautiful and smell lovely, especially in the warmer months.

What to See

The Moulin de Jérusalem (windmill), located at the top of the village’s hill, operated until the 19th century. Several hiking trails lead from the Moulin into the village and other towns. Walking south, follow the Roche-Redonne or Carredone path to the Conservatoire des Terrasses de Cultures.

The Conservatoire des Terrasses de Cultures is an agricultural area. The terraces were constructed using the natural slope of the hill. The south-facing plots of land are protected from the Mistral winds and winter frosts. Additionally, the run-off allowed the cultivation of olive and almond groves.

Many small towns in Provence have a public wash basin (lavoir) where 18^th-century residents would do their laundry. A visit to La Fontaine lavoir in Goult will remind you of the difficult work women had to do. Of course, there was always the opportunity to socialize (and gossip) with other townsfolk.

Goult has some excellent restaurants for a small village, including La Bartavelle, Le Carillon, and the Café de la Poste. Some are closed on certain days or for several weeks during winter. Please check the websites or call ahead to make reservations and confirm opening hours.

Market Day

Head to Rue de la République on Thursday mornings for the market. Most local merchants’ association members have stalls selling local produce and wares made by local artisans.

Roussillon

Roussillon is a small, historic French village with less than 1500 permanent residents. It is located within the Parc naturel regional du Luberon and is a member of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France (Most Beautiful Villages in France). It is well known for its colourful landscape and buildings derived from rich ochre deposits. Due to the demand for pigments, ochre mining was the village’s primary industry from the 18^th century until the 1930s. The mines and ochre processing factories employed thousands of people. Today, however, the ochre mines are closed to protect the region’s unique geology, and Roussillon’s main industries are tourism and agriculture.

Due to its natural beauty, Roussillon attracts artists, photographers, and authors. The village was Samuel Beckett’s home during the 1940s. Wonderful restaurants and bistros are in the town, and shops offer unique products by local artisans (some restaurants and shops are closed or have reduced hours in the off-season).

What to See

The panoramic views of the Luberon valley from the top of the village are spectacular. It is well worth the trek up the hilly streets. While there, visit St. Michael’s Church. It is not as ornate as some churches and cathedrals in Provence, but its colour and architecture reflect the region.

The Ochre Trail (Le Sentier des Ocres) is a popular tourist destination. Two trails (30—and 60-minute walks) pass through the former ochre mines. Plaques lining the walkway explain the region’s history and geology. Wear good walking shoes when you visit, as the colourful ochre sand is a bit sticky and will cover your shoes (and clothing). Pets on leashes are permitted, and portions of the trail are suitable for people with reduced mobility.

ÔKHRA, the ochre museum (Écomusé de l’Ocra), is in a former ochre factory. Its displays explain the history of ochre mining, processing, and pigment manufacturing for paints, pastels, and fabrics. Their Family Workshops are a great way to spend the afternoon, and artists of all levels can book longer workshops.

Okhra Écomusée de l’ocre
570 route d’Apt
84220 Roussillon

Market Day

The market is on Thursday mornings (08:00-12:00) at La Place du Pasquier. You’ll find all the essentials to prepare your meals, including fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, olive oils, and more. You will also find stalls from many local artisans offering handmade jewellery, linens, clothing, accessories, soaps, candles, paintings, and more.

Bonnieux

Inhabited since the 6th century, Bonnieux has a rich history. The Romans built the village on the north side of the hill. Its strategic position offers Bonnieux offers visitors stunning panoramic views of nearby mountains, valleys with lush farmland, towns, and, on clear days, even Mont Ventoux. Bonnieux’s old church (or high church), built12th-century, also offers panoramic views of the surrounding countryside if you’re willing to climb the steep streets.

©Paul Shawcross

The village is a great base to explore the Luberon region as it has plenty of shops, restaurants, and holiday rentals. It’s a great place to spend the day. Bonnieux is a favourite destination for cyclists because it’s just off the Véloroute du Calavon, a popular cycling path for families following the Calavon River.

What to See

The Foundation Blanchère is a contemporary African art gallery that aims to support and promote contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. Initially established in 2003 in Apt, the gallery moved to Bonnieux in 2023. The Foundation strives to be inclusive and innovative and offers residences and exhibitions annually.

©Jeremie Pitot / collection Fondation Blachère

The Pont Julien, about 3km outside Bonnieux, is a 2,000-year-old stone bridge built by the Romans in the 4th century. It is part of the ancient route from Rome to Spain. The bridge closed to vehicle traffic in 2005 but remains open to cyclists and pedestrians.

Pont Julien @Paul Shawcross

The Cedar Forest (La forêt des cèdres du Luberon) covers about 250 hectares between Bonnieux, Lacoste, and Ménerbes. Initially, the area was open plains for sheep grazing. However, during the late 1800s, the government planted hundreds of Atlas cedar seeds. The trees reached maturity in the 1920s. Although a forest fire in 1952 damaged much of the forest, it expanded to its current size today. Take a picnic lunch and spend a few hours strolling through the shaded trails, enjoying the flora and fauna.

Market Day

Every Friday morning, La Place du Terrail is filled with market stalls in the village centre. Here, you can discover fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, and oils from nearby farms and original works from local artisans and craftspeople.

Lacoste

Lacoste is an idyllic, well-preserved Provençal village. It is perched on a mountain ridge and overlooks valleys filled with orchards and vineyards. The town has had a rather tumultuous history. During the Wars of Religion in the 16th century, Lacoste was almost destroyed for not being “sufficiently Catholic.” The town grew again over time as farming and the limestone quarries boosted the economy. But it suffered damages again during World War II, as it was a stronghold for the French Resistance.

The most famous (or infamous) resident of Lacoste was the Marquis de Sade (the word sadism was derived from his name), who lived in the castle at the top of the village. Over years of his various imprisonments for “cruelty and debauchery,” the castle started falling to ruins.

Today, Lacoste is a vibrant community, even though it has less than 500 permanent residents. In the early 2000s, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) purchased several buildings and opened a French campus. They restored many old buildings, creating classrooms, workshops, and student living quarters.

At approximately the same time SCAD was building its school, the famous French fashion designer Pierre Cardin purchased Château de Lacoste (the Marquis de Sade’s castle). He renovated the castle and purchased the limestone quarry to create an outdoor amphitheatre.

©Keith Van Sickle

What to See

Château de Lacoste (former home of Marquis de Sade and Pierre Cardin) is a lovely little museum and gift shop. The outdoor amphitheatre has several events during the warmer months, including plays, operas, and concerts.

Église Saint-Trophime was founded in the early 1100s. It has been rebuilt and renovated over the centuries and retains only a few Romanesque remnants. However, it does retain its beauty.

Market Day

The Lacoste market is in the town centre on Tuesday mornings. It is closed in the winter months.

Ménerbes

Ménerbes is a village worth exploring. Listed as one of Les plus beaux village de France, it is renowned for its historical and cultural significance. Historians and archeologists have identified human habitation in the region dating back to Neolithic times. Like many villages in the Luberon, Ménerbes was built on a hilltop for strategic reasons. Interestingly, the citadel and fortified walls of the town allowed the Huguenots (Protestants) to resist the Catholic siege for five years (1573-1578) during the Wars of Religion.

The perched village of Ménerbes ©Paul Shawcross

Due to its strategic location, residents and visitors enjoy phenomenal panoramic views of the valley. The vistas are one reason the village has a thriving community of artists. Nicolas de Stael, Pablo Picasso, and Dora Maar once called Ménerbes home. Art historians might be interested in “The Paris Muse,” a book that recounts the tumultuous love affair between Dora Maar and Pablo Picasso.

What to See

The Dora Maar Cultural Centre, located in Dora Maar’s home in Ménerbes, offers an artists’ residency program. Visitors can tour the centre on specific weekdays. Dora Maar owned the house until she passed away in 1997. The residency program opened in 2006.

©Shutters and Sunflowers

If you enjoy truffles and wine, visit la Maison de la Truffe et du Vin du Luberon, located in the Hôtel d’Astier de Montfaucon, a 17th-century historic building. In addition to the fine-dining restaurant, the restaurant has a wine bar, a small grocery/gift shop, and special events. Dining on the terrace provides a beautiful view of the valley. Reservations are required for the restaurant.

On the Cavaillon road (towards Bonnieux), you’ll find the Domaine de la Citadelle, home to the Corkscrew Museum and Botanical Gardens. The museum has corkscrews and other items dating from the 17th century. You can also visit the wine cellar. The terraced gardens have medicinal and wild plants and a truffle bed.

Market Day

The Ménerbes market is at le Parc Rossignol on Thursdays from mid-April to the end of October. You’ll find local produce, oils, wines, flowers, and unique handicrafts and artwork from local craftspeople and artisans.

Oppède

Oppède is two towns: Oppède-le-Vieux, the old town perched on the hillside, and Oppède-les-Poulivets, the new village in the valley. It’s a steep climb to Oppède-le-Vieux, but the spectacular panoramic views are worth the trek up the hill.

Oppède has a thriving agricultural industry comprised of olive groves and vineyards, wheat, cherries, and other fruits and vegetables. The area around the village is noted for its biodiversity, which includes several protected flora and fauna species. Nature lovers will appreciate the many walking paths and cycling trails that traverse this part of the Luberon.

What to See

The church, Notre-Dame Dalidon, is worth a visit. Historians estimate it was built in the 11th century. However, considerable renovations took place in the 16th and 17th centuries.

The medieval castle ruins are worth a visit. Originally belonging to the Counts of Toulouse, the castle and its watchtower were transferred to the Avignon Popes in the 13th century. Please note, however, that due to ongoing renovations and safety considerations, access to this historic site might be restricted.

Le Petit Café might appear as a hidden gem in Oppède-le-Vieux, but the restaurant is well-known. Their delicious meals and Provençal ambience will make a memorable dining experience. Reservations highly recommended.

Starting from the Oppède-le-Vieux car park, stroll through the paths of the Saint-Cécile Gardens. The sunny, botanical trail with fragrant native Provençal plants offers a relaxing afternoon. When you arrive at the “threshing floor” (where local farmers brought sheaves of wheat to separate the grain from the stalks), you’ll have a marvellous view of Oppède-le-Vieux on the hillside.

Market Day

Head to 75 Place Félix-Autard for the market. It’s open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings and Friday mornings and afternoons (There is a 90-minute lunch break on Fridays from 12:00 to 13:30).

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Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).