Our 5 Luberon Favourites

Luberon is famous for its Regional National Park, classed by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve and geopark; but let’s not forget there’s also  Luberon AOC, famous for its wines. This is a stunningly diverse area, featuring sunshine and gently rolling hills giving way to steep cliffs, with Mont Ventoux looming in the distance. Neat rows of vines adorn the hillsides, while the famous hilltop villages, each more enchanting than the last, cling to the slopes: villages like  Gordes, Cucuron or Roussillon to name but a few.

We’ve fallen in love with two particular spots that’ll make you feel as if you’ve been transported to an American national park: the Colorado Provençal open-air quarry and the ochre quarries of Roussillon. Enjoy an incredible geological journey exploring these multicoloured landscapes, and admire breathtaking rock formations. One piece of advice though: wear dark-coloured shoes!

Luberon is undeniably an artist’s paradise. So many painters have made their homes here, inspired by the colours, landscapes and atmosphere of this sun-drenched part of France, some of the most famous being  André Lhote, Marc Chagall, Victor Vasarely and Jean Deyrolle. Celebrated photographer Willy Ronis settled in Gordes, while sculptors, ceramists and even film-makers (Ridley Scott, for example, who has a wine estate here) have been captivated by Luberon’s charm and gentle pace of life.  

Why not follow in their artistic footsteps and take a course in watercolour painting? At Château de Sannes, course leader Petra Wauters will share her artist’s eye and guide you through her techniques – and soon you’ll be crafting your own works of art amid magnolias, olive groves, lavender and vines. Spend the whole day, or just half, letting your creative juices flow. Tempted? 

Luberon is famous for its wines, and has a rich history of wine-growing stretching back some 5,000 years. We know vines have grown on the hillsides here since at least Roman times, thriving in the ideal climate:  while the Mistral cleanses the vineyards, summer’s high temperatures and relatively cool nights help the grapes ripen to perfection. In 1988, Luberon was awarded AOC status, signalling the excellent quality of its wines. 

Explore an array of artefacts related to viticulture and wine in a visit to the Musée des Arts et Métiers du Vin at Château Turcan. This unique museum houses some 3,000 exhibits, including tools from the 18th and 19th centuries, historic wine presses (some dating back to the Middle Ages), a 1900s wine laboratory, cooperage equipment, glassware and classic pieces made by master craftsmen. The story of winemaking in Luberon under one roof!

Stroll through sun-kissed greenery, listen to the wind whispering and the cicadas singing: Luberon offers a precious opportunity to escape the everyday and reconnect with the land. 

Our favourite secret spot is the Citadelle Botanical Garden in Ménerbes, perfect for getting away from it all and immersing yourself in nature.  The Garden, laid out on 18th-century terraces with views over Luberon, the Vaucluse Mountains and Mont Ventoux, features a truffle grove along with dedicated spaces for medicinal and aromatic plants as well as wild species, some of which are said to have magical properties! 

Our final top tip highlights an event that has it all: Luberon en Tous Sens. The programme includes an easy hike through the vineyards with occasional stops for gourmet treats, wine-tasting hosted by some dozen or so growers, a picnic put together by a famous chef, and last but not least, an entertainment paying tribute to Marcel Pagnol. The event takes place every May on a Sunday, see you there for the next edition!