Couleur Garance

The Luberon


In the days before synthetic dyes, natural colours obtained from plants, fruit and seeds were the main way of creating tints for clothing, textiles and tapestries. This garden contains a collection of such plants (known in French as plantes tinctoriales), and hosts regular workshops demonstrating how they were used. Guided visits (€8) run on Tuesday and Saturday at 5pm.

It's on the southern edge of the village.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Luberon attractions

1. Abbaye de Silvacane

1.74 MILES

The Abbaye de Silvacane is one of a trio of medieval abbeys built in Provence by Cistercian monks. Constructed between 1175 and 1230, it has all the…

2. Château de Lourmarin

2.69 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…

3. Fôret des Cèdres

4.63 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. Musée de la Boulangerie

5.31 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…

6. Fort de Buoux

6.02 MILES

Occupied since prehistoric times, the site of this clifftop fortress commands an incredible view over the surrounding valley. Abandoned in the 17th…

7. Château de Lacoste

6.3 MILES

This part-ruined, 9th-century château once belonged to the scandalous Marquis de Sade (1740–1814) but was bought in 2001 by the couturier Pierre Cardin…

8. Musée Extraordinaire

7.58 MILES

This curious village museum was founded by Provençal painter and diver Georges Mazoyer, whose passion for the sea shows in the museum’s fossil exhibits…