Luberon is also a mosaïc of picturesque villages built into the sides of the mountain range.
These villages are potential source love stories : often perched on a hillside and consisting of a collection of houses around a castle, the Provencal village dominates the surrounding vineyards or plan.

Do not miss : Ansouis, Gordes, Lourmarin, Ménerbes, Roussillon, Lacoste, Bonnieux...

Itinary Discover by car

Notre-Dame de Sénanque Abbey is a community of Cistercian Monks. The beauty of the architecture and of the valley where the Abbey lies is stunning. A limited number of one-hour guided visits is offered each week, in French. Here you discover the 12th century Monastic Buildings - the Cloister, Church, Chapter room, Dormitory and others. Reservations are required.. Reserve ahead of time www.senanque.fr

The best yellow and red ochre is considered to come from Roussillon, in Vaucluse. How about a hike among the breath-taking ochre quarries, or a training course to learn how to use natural pigments in your home decoration, or a colourful visit to the former ochre factory ?

What is ochre ?
The ochre sands with a thousand hues, from deep purple to brilliant yellow-green, colour the landscapes of Luberon. These sands originate from the time when deep seas covered the area several million years ago. The natural properties and beauty of the ochre sands have led to their use in many fields - in art, crafts and the construction industry.

The ochre path in roussillon
The geological curiosity of the ochre sands, the quarries and the cliffs has made Roussillon one of the best know sites in the Luberon. Here you can stroll through the hills, following the multi-hued labyrinth and learning about the formation and use of these famous quarries from the information signs along the way.
www.roussillon-provence.com

Visit the former ochre factory
Ochres and Pigments Conservatory In the Usine Mathieu, the former ochre factory created by those who began the whole adventure in 1871, you can discover basins, kilns, red and yellow ochre mills and a garden used to grow plants for dyeing purposes
www.okhra.com

Bicycling through the Ochres
This 50 kilometre round trip takes you along picturesque backwater roads through the ochre hills sculpted by erosion and by man. These cliffsides and overhangs and disused quarries form some of the most beautiful countryside in Provence and some of the most remarkable villages : Rousillon, Rustrel, Gargas, Apt and Villars. Swathes of colour dominate the route in all directions and there are variations to the ride to allow you to make it shorter or longer. > Download the circuit

— Itinerary : Cavaillon, Oppède le Vieux, Ménerbes, Lacoste, Bonnieux, Roussillon, Gordes.
— From Cavaillon, take the direction of Robion, Maubec, until you reach Oppède le Vieux
— 50 kilometres

Beautiful clear light and soft colours enfold the Luberon Regional Natural Park. Perched villages cling to the hilltops, on the hillsides or nestled among rocky spurs, their tile roofs soaking up the sunshine. Narrow winding streets lined with craft studios, small shaded squares, gurgling fountains, outstanding views over the plains and vineyards, and much more. Up high in a hilltop village, there is something magical in the air : the feeling to be very close to the sky is like a small taste of heaven !

Be sure to see :

Oppède le Vieux :

— the old village overlooking the valley from an altitude of 300m
— the Mathieu olive oil mill
— the “Les artisanales de Provence” jam factory

Ménerbes :

— this village is listed among the “Most Beautiful French Villages”
— the “Musée du Tire-Bouchon” (Corkscrew Museum) at the “Domaine de la Citadelle”. A collection of over 1,000 pieces, from the 17th century to the present time.
— the “Maison de la Truffe et du Vin” (House of truffles and wine)

Lacoste :

— the village and its alleyways lined with stone houses, winding upwards to the castle of the Marquis de Sade (private, closed to visitors)
— the splendid view over the hilltop village of Bonnieux

Bonnieux :

— the hilltop village
— the cedar forest. Waymarked footpath, typical plant species of the Luberon.
— the “Musée de la Boulangerie” (the Bakery museum)
— the bories enclosure, with its constructions made of dry stone

Roussillon :

— this village is listed among the “Most Beautiful French Villages”, with its houses and their ochred façades
— the “Ochre Trail”, with explanatory signs on the various steps involved in mining ochre and on its geological features.
— the Ochre Conservatory / Mathieu factory : a rehabilitated former ochre processing factory, to learn everything there is to know about ochre, its processing methods and uses.

Gordes :

— this village, which is listed among the “Most Beautiful French Villages”, is dominated by its Renaissance castle
— the Borie village, a set of constructions made of dry stones
— the Senanque Abbey, one of the most beautiful Romanesque abbeys in Provence