Luberon: beauty, luminosity, lifestyle

First, there are the colours of the earth: red, yellow and even crimson when the sun goes down. There is also the contrast with the colour of the sky and the colours of the vegetation. Here, one has no choice but tio acknowledge that is an exceptional landscape.Land is streaked with colour here – red, yellow, scarlet and every shade in between – even when the sun is down !
And the contrast with the deep blue of the sky and the intense green of the vegetation adds to the beauty. No doubt about it – this is a very special place.

The Ochre Trail in Roussillon and the Provençal Colorado in Rustrel are good ways to discover the geological phenomenon of the ochre sands. Here you can walk through the multi-colored sands along a trail with explanatory signs which discuss the formation and mining of the ochre sands. In Roussillon – the Conservatory of Ochres and Applied Pigments welcomes your visit. This is a former ochre factory where there are now classes, workshops and guided visits.

Five of the villages ranked as “Most beautiful villages in France” nestle in the Luberon hills: Ansouis, Lourmarin, Ménerbes, Roussillon, and Gordes, with Sénanque Abbey and the bories.

Beautiful castles in the Luberon include the Château de Lourmarin, the first Renaissance castle in Provence, the Château d’Ansouis with its lovely gardens, and the Château de la Tour d’Aigues. Some castles (Lourmarin, Lacoste and Gordes) house museums and collections and festivals. Plant and garden lovers will delight in the terraces at the Château de Lauris and the Domaine Val Joanis.

Be sure to explore the Roman Gardens in Caumont sur Durance and the Gerbaud Farm in Lourmarin, specialised in aromatic plants.

> Hilltop villages

You can discover Luberon on bicycles by biking all or part of the 236-km marked circuit which takes you entirely through the Luberon. The bike paths are old country roads selected for the beauty of the landscapes and sites such as Oppède-le-Vieux, Lacoste, Bonnieux, Lourmarin?

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PASSPORT FOR THE APT AREA

This passport provides discounts from 10 to 50% for 9 must-see sites in the Luberon: Colorado Aventures (forest adventure trails) in Rustrel, the Ochre Conservatory in Roussillon, the Fondation Blachère in Apt,  the Buoux Fort, the Truffle and Wine Centre in  Ménerbes, the Industrial Adventure Museum in Apt, the Ochre Trail in Roussillon, the  SIRENE Observatory in Lagarde d'Apt, the Borie Villages in Gordes, Hot air balooning flight Vol'Terre, Pol Mara Museum in Gordes, "Par monts et par Chevaux" (by mounts and horses) in Viens, equestrian center in Joucas, Rustr'ailes (paragliding above the ochres), Mountainbike hiking with an instructor (Bruno CHABALIER)...

For more information: www.cbe-apt.com