10 days in Provence: the Luberon

At the end of the summer of 2020, we spent about ten days in Provence criss-crossing the roads of the Vaucluse. After two and a half days spent in the Dentelles de Montmirail area, in the north of the department, we spent a week in the Luberon regional nature park. Here is our programme for those six days spent in the Luberon!

To find out more about the region, also have a look at the website dedicated to the Luberon. You will find all the information you need to plan your stay there, on top of our blog.

To start the day, we chose to do the walk in the shade of the trees of the Luberon cedar forest. Very easy in level (no elevation gain), it lets you hike peacefully at 700 metres of altitude on the Luberon hills. Don’t miss the viewpoint over the regional nature park!

A greyish, cloudy sky was with us all morning, which meant we were alone at the viewpoints and in the villages we passed through. First stop at the famous viewpoint over Gordes… as beautiful as ever, even in bad weather. We then headed towards Oppède le Vieux, a village perched on a rocky spur. Very beautiful and authentic, with a certain charm in the mist!

Our accommodation in the Luberon

We stayed six nights in a detached house in the heart of the Luberon, in Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt: an ideal location for exploring everywhere around. We had initially spotted the house on Airbnb but, by searching a bit harder on Google, we found the owners’ website Luberon Home Sitting (much cheaper than Airbnb). The house with a pool cost us 608€ for the six nights. The view over the Luberon hills was splendid, especially at sunset!

Our favourite spots in the Luberon

• Maison Brémond 1830 in Roussillon: fine food shop selling regional products which offers very good artisan ice cream. 4€ for 2 scoops.
• Meinado in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue: good bakery and patisserie for a quick bite (homemade dishes). 26.70€ for two mains and two desserts.
• Pâtisserie Eugénie in Isle-sur-la-Sorgue: excellent patisserie offering trompe-l’oeil desserts and very good iced teas with fresh fruit.
• Le Sanglier Paresseux in Caseneuve: fine dining restaurant with a lovely view from the terrace. 47€ for the starter-main-dessert menu.
• Le numéro 9 in Lourmarin: very good spot in the heart of the village. 34€ starter main dessert.
• Bastide du Laval in Cadenet: olive oil mill offering a discovery tour of how the oil is made, a tasting and a shop. Rather high-end oils, some of them certified organic.
• Il était une fois in Apt: wine merchant with a wide choice of local beers and wines as well as regional products.
• Confiserie Marcel Richaud in Apt: to bring back candied fruit or nougat, two specialities of the Apt area.

What we thought of the Luberon

We really liked the Luberon region: we didn’t regret our choice of destination for that summer of 2020 at all! Now we understand why it is such a touristy and visited place in France. Between natural curiosities and typical stone villages, there is plenty to discover over a short week. It’s definitely something to see at least once in your life! The only downside: the cruel lack of stretches of water or waterways which reminds you how dry the region is… that’s what we missed during this stay in the region.
Don’t forget that the Luberon is very touristy, so if you can, avoid high season (July-August) or expect to run into crowds! You will have to get up quite early to enjoy must-see sites like the Colorado de Rustrel or the Sentier des Ocres in Roussillon and above all to book accommodation and restaurants in advance.

Planning a trip to Provence? Read our article about our 10 day road trip in the Vaucluse!