The Luberon is a southern region of France within Provence. The area lies among 3 mountain ranges. Vaucluse is a smaller region within the Luberon. it comprises many villages and towns that are especially beautiful - Russilon, Bonnieux, Oppede le Vieux, Saignons, Goult, and Gordes. In fact of the 40 or so "most beautiful villages in France" denomination, about 10 of them in are in the Luberon. The commericial centers are Apt and to a lesser extent, Coustellet. The hilltop village of Gordes (pictured above) is one of the most beautiful, and ritziest address in the region. The area has always been popular with tourists and retirees, but the series of books by British author Peter Mayle chronicling his life as an expatriate settled in the Luberon village of Ménerbes really put the area on the map.
The countryside is dotted with vineyards and orchards. Most of the villages are old hilltop towns, formerly walled enclaves to fend off the hordes of invaders over millennia. The latter included the Romans, who conquered France and left it with a legacy of roads, bridges, and the occasional baths. Those remants, along with the glimpses of medieval life, make it a fascinatiing place to live and visit. Bicycling is very good here, with many sites to see. |