The ROMANTIC Villages of THE LUBERON
By Tarik Koivisto, Founder & Creative Director, Luxe Provence
Featuring Louise Pascal for Luxe Provence
The Luberon is one of the most romantic and breath-taking regions of Provence. Discover colorful markets set in plane (platane) tree-lined squares, elegantly perched hilltop villages surrounded by fields of lavender, dotted with dancing sunflowers and vineyards as far as the eye can see. The Luberon is no secret, as Peter Mayle’s best-selling ‘A Year in Provence’ awoke tourism to this region years ago, but some of the villages run slower than others these days.
Gordes
GORDES
Gordes has been designated as one of the Most Beautiful Villages of France and is indeed a show-stopper. However, come June the crowds arrive and it feels a little like Disneyland. However, visit in May or September and you’ll have the space, time and slower pace that truly make you feel as if you’re living in a dream. Take in the beauty of Gordes’ ancient stone architecture, meandering streets, lovely collection of art galleries, boutiques and ateliers, complete with sweeping views of the valley below. Reserve a table for lunch at the Bastide de Gordes and sip in the views.
BONNIEUX
Dreamy, Bonnieux is always a delight and stepping through the portal on top of the vieux village and descending into the romantic cobblestone streets lined with 16-18th century homes is quite literally like, stepping back in time. This village has traces of life dating back 50,000 and 60,000 years ago and you can feel the history throughout. Despite being highly visited in summer, Bonnieux has life year-round and a vibrant little creative community. Lunch or dinner at one of the many terraces offers you the panoramic view its famous for, even better over a crisp glass of rosé. Climb up to the village’s bustling commerce area and discover several quaint boutiques, lovely antique shops, galleries and several restaurants sporting peaceful views from their terrace or rooftops of the stunning valley, dotted with lavender fields below. Just a few minutes drive out of town you can picnic in the shade of Pont Julien, constructed by Jules César and perfectly conserved for over 2000 years. Reserve a table at La Bastide at Capelongue just a few minutes from the vieux village in Bonnieux for a gorgeous lunch on the terrace, or cozy dinner inside by the fire.
Ménerbes
The fact that Picasso lived here has almost been forgotten but you can find evidence by stopping into the Maison Dora Maar, which serves as a thriving cultural hub for the region’s creatives, writers and artists. Find changing exhibitions, along with artist-in-residence programs inspired by Maar, who was a French photographer, painter and pioneer Surrealist artist, also known as…Picasso’s muse. The foundation’s Hôtel de Tingry also hosts changing exhibitions, from textile, art and design and it’s boutique/gallery, The Mob. For the perfect lingering, lunch spot, reserve a table at La Bastide de Marie for incredible cuisine on the Côté Terrasse with views of their own vineyards where they produce beautiful white, red and of course… rosés.
Saignon
Saignon
Saignon is a quiet, very small yet magical village with it’s own fortified rock perched high above fields of lavender of the Luberon. The area has been inhabited since the Palaeolithic era, then later by the Romans and you immediately feel a deep sense of history as you walk the picturesque streets of this perched village. Three châteaux were once built between 900 and 1200 and you can see these ancient ruins with a breathtaking panoramic walk to the top of Saignon’s peak, which was once used as a signal station to help protect both the village and nearby city of Apt, from invasions. There are just a few shops including a lovely artisan’s hat shop, antique jewellery boutique and a handful of cafes and restaurants, along with church and post office. Enjoy a cafe at the beautiful fountain in the center of the village and then walk up the winding, magical flower-filled streets for a delicious dinner, local wines and panoramic views out over the valley below at Un Jardin Sur le Toit.
Le Saint Hubert Restaurant, Lise is wearing our Brigitte Skirt in sky striped linen. Photo courtesy of Le Saint Hubert.
Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt
Continue a bit further north and discover the authentic, charming village of St Saturnin-les-Apt. This medival village is surrounded by a remarkable fortresss and climb to the top to discover a windmill, chapel, charming artisan ateliers and an incredible view. The couple Eric and Lise, behind the fabulous, Le Saint Hubert, have injected an incredible sustainable farm-to-table restaurant and community culture with their local events, workshops and their new boutique hotel. Be sure to stop in for lunch and dinner (reserve in advance) to enjoy creative, gastronomic cuisine and a daily changing menu.
Oppede-le-Vieux
Another sleepy, perched Luberon village where you will truly feel that time has stood still is Oppede-le-Vieux. Walk slowly through the quiet streets in early summer and discover the scent of jasmine, beautifully manicured roses and wild hollyhocks that mange to be perfectly placed against an aged patina of wheat and rose-colored facades.
There’s a handful of restaurants, cafes and not much else, but a beautiful uphill path behind the vieux village that leads to a the charming, Chapelle des Pénitents Blancs, dating back to the Romans likely constructed in XI century featuring sweeping 360-degree views of the Luberon valley below. Picture perfect.
LOURMARIN
We move to the flatter lands to discover Lourmarin, one of the best Luberon market towns. Lourmarin is the chic city in the country, with a gorgeous centre ville always a buzz with activities, music, people watching and wine bars. The Friday morning market is a must-visit for every possible decadent Provencal item you could ask for, from beautiful fresh produces, cheeses, chacuteries, bread and more. After enjoying the market and the village boutique shopping, have a gluten-free, Michelin-star lunch at Nadia Sammut’s famous restaurant, La Fenière. This impressive, family business is now in it’s third generation of female-led Michelin'-starred chefs and since Nadia has taken the helm, she has steered this beautiful auberge, farm and restaurant to focus on sustainably farmed, local produce with her “cuisine libre” movement working to cultivate all of her grains, produce and ingredients as locally and positively as possible. It’s the one place, I can thankfully count on always having an incredibly, delicious gluten-free dining experience in Provence, whether it’s in the more casual bistro cafe for lunch or the Michelin-starred restaurant for an elegant dinner indoors where the magic happens.
Cucuron
CUCURON
The 19th-century village of Cucuron features this beautiful bassin which is spring-fed and about the size of an Olympic swimming pool, with huge 200-year-old plane trees arching over and providing shade from the hot summer Provencal heat Plan your visit on market day, which is Tuesday mornings, then simply sit around the bassin and people-watch as you sip on your café enjoying the slow life. The market is small, but produce high in quality. And for fine dining, reserve a table at La Petite Maison de Cucuron which has been serving up incredible cuisine for over 19 years from chef, Éric Sapet.
Bespoke Wellness Retreats in the Luberon, Provence
Contact us to organize your group’s bespoke wellness retreat in the Luberon. We have curated the finest villas in the region to combine our our unique wellness program with award-winning, luxury travel services to bring you an immersive wellness experience in Provence including uncovering our secret spots, with exclusive access to the region’s museums or monuments, while offering a tailored, mind-body reset.