The Luberon
You won’t get a more honest Provençal lunch than at Maurice Leporati’s roadside inn, where the feast always starts with wicker trays filled with hors d’oeuvres such as tapenade and anchöiade (olive and anchovy dips), quail’s eggs, braised artichokes, aïoli and hummus. The showpiece Sunday lunch is legendary.
Maurice himself is horse mad – ask nicely and he might show you his collection of antique carriages. Look out for the restaurant as you drive past Buoux on the D113.
29.68 MILES
The largest Gothic palace ever built, the Palais des Papes was erected by Pope Clement V, who abandoned Rome in 1309 in the wake of violent disorder after…
29.83 MILES
Legend says Pastor Bénézet (a former shepherd) had three visions urging him to build a bridge across the Rhône. Completed in 1185, the 900m-long bridge…
21.38 MILES
Aix established one of France's first public museums here, on the site of a former Hospitallers' priory, in 1838. Nearly 200 years of acquisitions …
27.42 MILES
It might lack the scale and ambition of some of Provence's better-known Roman monuments, but for a glimpse into everyday life in Gaul, this ancient town…
11.68 MILES
If you're searching for that classic postcard shot of the medieval abbey surrounded by a sea of purple lavender, look no further. This sublime Cistercian…
24.31 MILES
East of Aix rises Cézanne’s favourite haunt, the magnificent silvery ridge of Montagne Ste-Victoire, its dry slopes carpeted in garrigue (scented scrub),…
8.74 MILES
Named after its fiery red and orange landscape (which locals likened to Colorado), this former ochre quarry is one of the best places to appreciate the…
27.38 MILES
This monastery turned asylum is famous for one of its former residents – the ever-volatile Vincent van Gogh, who admitted himself in 1889. Safe within the…
0.76 MILES
Occupied since prehistoric times, the site of this clifftop fortress commands an incredible view over the surrounding valley. Abandoned in the 17th…
1.77 MILES
This distillery on the edge of Buoux uses locally grown lavender, cypress and rosemary in its products. It also rents out three gorgeous self-contained…
3.31 MILES
Apt's various industries – ochre-mining, fruits confits and faiences (glazed ceramics) – are explored at this modest but well-curated museum in the middle…
4. Ancienne Cathédrale Ste-Anne
3.32 MILES
The 11th-century Ancienne Cathédrale Ste-Anne houses the relics of St Anne, and 11th- and 12th-century illuminated manuscripts.
3.52 MILES
A museum all about the history of breadmaking might not sound like a Bonnieux must-see, but it’s actually an intriguing visit. Located in a 17th-century…
4.18 MILES
In the scrubby hills about 6km south of Bonnieux, a twisty back road slopes up to this wonderful cedar forest, whose spreading boughs provide welcome…
4.2 MILES
Situated 6km north of Bonnieux, near the junction of the D36 and D900, is one of the Luberon’s most impressive Roman landmarks. Dating from around 3 BC,…
4.63 MILES
This Renaissance château was the first of its kind in Provence. Built during the 16th century and later expanded, the castle has had a string of…