Hill Towns of the Luberon

Luberon is the beautiful area of Provence where Peter Mayle lived and wrote his famous “A Year in Provence.” This beautiful area, protected as a regional national park, has hill towns, expansive valleys, endless manicured vineyards, and countless cherry groves, lavender fields, and cypress trees. Luberon is France’s answer to Italy’s Tuscany.

We took an all-day mini-bus tour to 6 of the villages in the Luberon. There were only 4 of us on the bus and it was the perfect way to go. Chuck didn’t have to drive on those narrow roads, I didn’t have to navigate and keep getting us lost, and best of all we didn’t have to spend hours looking for a place to park. Our driver was so nice and knowledgeable. When we were driving, he gave us tons of interesting information. Then he dropped us off in the little villages with clear instructions (and frequently maps too) on where to go and what to see and where the public toilets are located. So although we walked our legs off, it was very efficient and we were thrilled with what we saw. Below are just a few photos from each of the towns we visited.

Lourmarin

Bonnieux

Bonnieux has spectacular views and great markets. It dates back to Roman times.

Roussillon

Roussillon has been a protected village since 1943 and as such benefited from a complete absence of modern development. It’s the location of a huge deposit of ochre which gives the earth and its buildings that distinctive red color.

Gordes

In the 1960’s, Gordes was a ghost town of derelict buildings. But then the theater festival in Avignon brought directors who wanted to recreate perfect Provencal villages on film and Gordes was renovated from top to bottom to help fill that need. It’s a beautiful hill town.

Fontaine de Vaucluse

Fontaine de Vaucluse is all about water. It is named for and was built around a spring in the valley at the foot of the Vaucluse Mountains. The spring is the source of the River Sorgue. The river winds through the village and provides a series of small waterfalls and lovely views from the village’s many restaurants.

Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

This “Island on the Sorgue River” sits within a split in the Sorgue River at the foot of the Luberon. There appears to be water at every turn and and the village is often called “Venice of Provence.” The Sorgue River’s extraordinarily clear and shallow flow makes them seem more like canals than rivers. The town’s economy today is powered by a large number of antique stores and indeed there was a large antique/flea market on the day we visited.