Visit Ansouis for Lunch at La Closerie Michelin Star Restaurant

It was October, and we were back in Sablet with friends Steve and Mary from Michigan. One of our morning rituals is to sit around the kitchen table drinking petit cafes and reading our iPads and English language papers. Invariably the question is asked, usually by Mary, “Michel, what’s the plan for the day? …Continue reading here to learn about Michel and Shirley’s visit to Ansouis (one of the Beaux Villages de France) and enjoy the photos of their delicious lunch at La Closerie.

Restaurant Information:

La Closerie
Boulevard des Platanes
84240 Ansouis

Bookings required there are only 30 places in the restaurant and 16 on the terrace.

Ansouis

Perched on a craggy outcrop with its back to the Mistral wind, Ansouis is a gem of a village in Provence’s Vaucluse that deserves its status as one of les Plus Beaux Villages de France. Ansouis sits in the heart of intertwined vineyards and endless olive trees. Walk the narrow laneways to the top of the village, by the church, for expansive views of the Grand Luberon range and the Durance River Valley. Physically elevated above the main route between Aix-en-Provence and Apt, the fortified hamlet’s residents were provided visibility to movement in the area during the Middle Ages. 

Today, the town remains a hamlet with barely more than 1,000 permanent residents. As a result of the compact footprint, Ansouis delivers photo-ops at every turn. There are tiny alleys, houses built into ancient ramparts, stone facades with brightly painted shutters, and a medieval castle. The privately-owned Château d’Ansouis is not open to the public for guided visits at this time.

Plan to arrive in Ansouis hungry and with a reservation at Michelin 1-star restaurant La Closerie with only 16 tables. Alternatively, ice cream fans do not miss L’Art Glacier with 50 flavours produced by the Perrière family, who have held the titles of Maîtres Glacier and Maîtres Artisans Glacier for two generations. 

Ansouis Visitor Tips

Parking can be challenging at busy times of the year, but the village is small, so once you find a spot, it’s not far away from the old town.

The market takes place on Sunday mornings.

Make sure to visit:

Église Saint-Martin d’Ansouis, dating from the 12th century, this medieval church sits in a commanding position at the village’s top. The austere exterior does not give any clues to the light-filled interior.

Château d’Ansouis (the castle) is no longer accessible for guided tours, but you can peek through the iron gate and get glimpses from different angles in the village.

Michel and Shirley

Michel and Shirley, live in wine country, in Windsor, California. They have a full family with two beautiful daughters and five amazing grandchildren. Michel's day job is as CEO of Chancellor Health Care, a company which provides housing and services to older adults.

Previously a co-owner of a popular French bistro called Bistro des Copains located in Western Sonoma County California. The Bistro was closed in early 2015, after nine years!

In 2008, after searching for years and visiting many houses they bought a 17th century stone village house in the medieval village of Sablet which is in the Vaucluse region of Provence France.

Please read about the Sablet House (available for rent) and follow their blog Our House in Provence.