Bonnieux

A high-positioned Luberon village but also the entry point to the Lourmarin valley, the only passage-point for crossing the Luberon, and the one which splits it in two. There’s a fantastic view of the petit Luberon and over the plateaus of the Monts de Vaucluse.
BE SURE TO SEE: The bakery museum; the old 13th century church with its combination of Romanesque and Gothic styles; the ruins of the 12th century towers and ramparts; Hôtel de Rouville, a beautiful 18th century residence; the Philippe tower; the outstanding Louve gardens (classified Jardin Remarquable).
NEARBY: The Julien bridge, 5 km north of the village, is a stunning Roman structure dating back to 300 BC and part of the Voie Domitienne. Up on the Claparèdes plateau area there are plenty of bories to see, these drystone-wall huts built by 19th century fieldworkers to use as shelter; and there’s a cedar forest covering some 250 hectares with lovely shaded hiking and biking paths for summer.