Provence

A picturesque and typically Provençal small town, St Rémy-de-Provence is a delight to stroll around, with its quintessential boulevards shaded by plane trees, fountains and squares to discover, and narrow streets dotted with galleries and boutiques. With plenty of restaurants and cafés, it is a lively place, particularly on a Wednesday when the market is in full swing. One of St Rémy’s most famous residents was Vincent Van Gogh, whose work is celebrated in the Estrine museum. And Roman history is still very much visible here, in the triumphal arch on the outskirts of the town, and at the archaeological site of Glanum nearby.

This well preserved hilltop village sits atop a summit overlooking the Luberon valley and simply oozes authenticity with its steep streets, centuries-old buildings, fountains and washhouses. There are some great restaurants in the village, and the Friday morning market offers local crafts as well as fresh produce. In one of the village houses in Rue de la République, you will find Le Musée de la Boulangerie, a museum dedicated to making artisanal bread.

With its 425 metre high tower, the Romanesque-Gothic ‘old church’ dominates the town and the surrounding countryside; whilst no longer used for services, classical music concerts are held here in the summer. This is the best place from which to admire magnificent views over fields and vineyards to the Vaucluse mountains and the nearby villages of Gordes and Roussillon.

Mallemort is a delightful village in the Vaucluse department with narrow old streets, set next to the Durance river and just south of the beautiful Luberon mountain range. The town is well placed for accessing many of Provence’s delights including the nearby Château de Pont Royal, which is now a winery, and the heart of the Domaine de Pont Royal, with its world class golf course and holiday village.

Sitting proudly on a hilltop overlooking the Luberon valley, Gordes is a picture postcard place, thoroughly deserving its inclusion in the ‘most beautiful villages of France’ club. Its meticulously restored stone houses ooze charm, and the château at the heart of the village provides a central focus, with various cafés, restaurants and boutique shops to discover in the surrounding lanes. Gordes’ subterranean world can be explored at the Caves du Palais Saint Firmin, where past generations have developed natural caves into store rooms, passages, wells, and even an oil mill.

Caromb has a lovely old centre with a main square dominated by its church, and a good selection of local shops and restaurants is on offer. Surrounded by vineyards, the village sits in a landscape dominated by the jagged ‘teeth’ of the Dentelles de Montmirail crags and the slopes of legendary Mont Ventoux in the distance, attractive to walkers, cyclists and nature lovers. Anyone with an interest in fine wines should make time to explore the nearby villages which lend their names to Côtes du Rhône ‘appellations’ such as Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Beaumes de Venise and Châteauneuf du Pape.

Manosque is a good sized market town with a well preserved walled old quarter, which is accessed via impressive 14^th century gateways at the north and south. Other key sights are the Renaissance style Hôtel de Ville and the Notre Dame de Romigier church, and a walk up the hill to the ruined tower on the Mont d’Or is worth it for the great views. The Jean Giono Centre tells about the town’s most famous ‘son’, who wrote fiction set in early 20^th century Provence, and at the ‘Maison de la Biodiversité’ you can take a wander through eight different style gardens. The town is something of a hub for the surrounding hill villages, such as Montfuron, which boasts the region’s only remaining working windmill. And the wider region, encompassing the Luberon Valley and the Verdon Gorge, is full of glorious scenery and interesting visits.

One of the principal towns at the northern end of the Vaucluse, Vaison la Romaine will enchant anyone with a love of history. In the quintessentially French lower town, modern day shops and restaurants jostle with Roman ruins, uncovered following extensive excavations. There is also an Archaeological Museum to visit and a superb cathedral with a lovely cloistered courtyard. A magnificent arched Roman bridge over the river Ouvèze leads to the medieval upper town, a maze of cobbled streets on a rocky spur. Vaison is always full of life, but particularly dynamic through the summer, when a plethora of festivals and events are held.

This historic village has many beautiful restored buildings made of local ochre and stone, a charming Romanesque church and a lovely shade-dappled square where you can enjoy a drink from the Café de la Poste. Newly refreshed, follow the waymarked trail around the restored ‘restanques’ (agricultural terraces) on the edge of the village, and get an insight into how this land was cultivated in days gone by. The village is surrounded by fields of lavender, which is at its peak in July, and it is also ideally positioned to visit the ochre villages, the lovely hilltop towns of Ménerbes, Bonnieux and Gordes, and the larger market town of Apt.

As its name suggests, the distinguishing feature of Pernes-les-Fontaines is the large number of fountains dotted around. It is a lovely town to wander around in search of the 40 fountains, also taking in 17^th and 18^th century town houses, a covered market, remains of ancient ramparts and the 13^th century Ferrande Tower. There is also a museum with displays of local traditional costume. Children will love the ‘Le Jarditrain’ in nearby Saint Didier, a detailed model railway running through a beautiful garden, and the Splash World water park in Monteux makes for a fun family day out.

A wealth of other picturesque villages to visit in this area include Vénasque, La Roque-sur-Pernes, and Saumane-de-Vaucluse, which has a superb golf course. Also Isle sur la Sorgue, the second biggest antiques centre in France with its Sunday morning ‘brocante’ market.

This charming little medieval village is dominated by a 12th century château and a 14th century church with a tower and campanile. The quaint streets of Le Barroux are paved with a light coloured stone which matches many of the beautifully preserved buildings, and there is a handful of cafés and restaurants in which to pause and soak up the atmosphere. Set on the edge of the distinctive craggy mountain range known as the Dentelles de Montmirail, there are wonderful views to be had, whether you prefer taking a scenic drive or donning walking shoes. This is also a highly regarded wine producing area, with plenty of domaines and vineyards where you can stop and taste the local wines.

Méthamis is a little village in the heart of Provence, set on a rocky outcrop overlooking the dramatic scenery of the Nesque Gorge, great for walking and even climbing. The closest access to the gorge being at nearby Villes-sur-Auzon. The oldest part of Méthamis is essentially two narrow parallel streets lined with stone houses, which make for a pleasant wander up to the church at the top and back down to an ancient windmill. There is a tiny grocery shop and a café at the foot of the village. Further shops and restaurants can be found in the villages in the surrounding area, and there is plenty to see and do in the Luberon park to the south and the mountains of the Vaucluse to the north.