Lacoste, from the Marquis de Sade to Pierre Cardin

Lacoste is a well-preserved village that sits on a mountain ridge with great views to the east across a valley filled with vineyards and orchards to Bonnieux and the Grand Luberon Mountains. At the top of the village are the ruins of the castle of the Marquis de Sade now owned by Pierre Cardin. Lacoste has had a tumultuous history. During the Wars of Religion in the 16th century, the Parliament of Aix ordered the destruction of certain villages in the Luberon including Lacoste because the inhabitants were not considered sufficiently Catholic.. …Continue reading here to learn more about the history surrounding the castle.

What to do in the Luberon Valley?

Cycle the Véloroute du Calavon it’s a pretty ride and very easy.

Visit the bridge built by the Romans! The Pont Julien originally carried the Via Domitia, the Roman Road from Italy to Spain, over the Calavon River and was built with such precision that the limestone blocks, cut from the Luberon Mountains, needed no mortar. The portals between the arches allowed flood water through and the continued existence of this wonderful structure testifies to the genius of the Roman engineers who built it.

Head to a remarkable garden in Bonnieux. Nicole de Vésian’s vision was a garden that would be green all year using only native Mediterranean plants. Due to its position on the hillside, the garden is built on a series of terraces. La Louve is a bit like a Hermès scarf, at first it appears like a beautiful design then you begin to see the details. De Vésian converted the overgrown garden of an old village house into a work of art. La Louve is a tapestry in shades of green and grey. She used umbrella pine, fig, olive and cypress trees to give the garden height and dimension. Working with green plants, stone and metal, de Vésian created a garden that is a statement of elegance.