This bird reserve on the Durance River is home to some 243 species, including herons and great cormorants. Hides are strategically positioned along the 3km trail (1½ hours), marked with yellow blazes. The site is near the Mérindol-Mallemort dam (signposted 1.5km from the roundabout at the entrance to Mérindol on the D973).
Observatoire Ornithologique de Mérindol
The Luberon
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
24.49 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…
24.69 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…
19.51 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 …
-
18.48 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…
29.06 MILES
In Roman Gaul, every important town had an amphitheatre, where gladiators and wild animals met their (usually grisly) ends. Few examples have survived,…
12.83 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…
26.26 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),…
19.24 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…
Nearby The Luberon attractions
5.4 MILES
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…
5.8 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…
6.69 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…
6.87 MILES
You have to be a real wine buff to appreciate this museum – dedicated to the art of the humble corkscrew. There are more than 1000 of them on display at…
7.06 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…
7.57 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…
7.9 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…
8.48 MILES
Sample local wines at this superior cellar, 5km from Bonnieux on the D36. Tastings are free.