Criss-crossing Provence’s Luberon

Our base for a week is the village of Bonnieux, in the heart of the Luberon, so no packing and unpacking every other day. Each morning, after a delightful breakfast, we radiate outwards from the 250-year-old Clos du Buis, a “hotel de charme” (and former bakery), driving short distances to our two or three destinations, leaving us plenty of time to explore and enjoy. Some sites are close enough to reach on foot, although some of us opt to ride instead.

The most beautiful villages in France: Gordes and Roussillon

France being a country that loves lists, “best of’s” and competitions, there is a semi-official list of “most beautiful villages in France”. We visit two of the five listed in the Luberon during our week, both of which I know and love and am thrilled to see again.

Gordes, my “first love”, is surrounded by characteristic dry stonework which catches your eye as you drive up. The village is remarkably old – when the Romans arrived during the 2nd century BCE, the hilltop was already occupied by the Vordenses, a Celto-Ligurian tribe.

The center of town is crowned by a towering fortress, parts of which have been around since 1031. On Tuesday mornings, the castle becomes a backdrop for the village market, a lively event that covers much of the town. Once you’ve visited the stalls and bought the inevitable scarf or two (or six, in my case), you can explore the narrow cobblestoned streets and the broad vistas of the valley below. Stop for coffee on the terrace of the Cercle Républicain, a café where revolutionaries once plotted and where members of the Résistance were welcomed during World War II.

The second “most beautiful” village, Roussillon, was once an ochre-mining center. It left behind a spectacular range of brightly-hued hills that reminded some of our group of the rock formations in Sedona or the state of Utah. Having never been to either, I can only guess how beautiful those must be.

Start your visit by following the Ochre Trail for either 35 or 50 minutes depending on which loop you choose, but be ready for plenty of stairs (both up and down). Avoid wearing white shoes unless you have your heart set on bright yellow footwear (I’m still picking dust off mine).

Then make your way down to the village, each of its houses painted in a town-approved shade of ochre – if you don’t like the ochre palette, you’re out of luck!