The Luberon Villages
Hill villages of honey-colored stone east of Avignon, under an hour away by road and hard to reach without one.
The short version
- The Luberon is a ridge of hills with perched villages on both sides, east of Avignon between Cavaillon and Apt. Gordes is 40 kilometers and about 45 minutes from Avignon by car, and no train reaches any of the hill villages.
- Our Best of Provence in Three Days spends its big day on Roussillon, Gordes and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, then Saint-Rémy, the Pont du Gard and Les Baux, with two nights in Avignon, for $1,925 per person. Our Provence Biking Trip stays two nights in Gordes and rides e-bikes to Roussillon, Lacoste and Ménerbes, for $1,185.
- The Abbaye de Sénanque, founded in 1148 and still home to Cistercian monks, costs €8. Visit with a guide in French or with a tablet in 11 languages; there are no visits on Sunday morning, and the lavender fields in front are off-limits.
- Roussillon’s ochre trail costs €3.50 and offers two loops of about 30 and 50 minutes through red and orange cliffs, with 350 steps. It is not suitable for strollers.
- At Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, the path to the spring of the Sorgue is free, but the foot of the cliff and the chasm are closed because of rockfall risk. The spring runs strongest in spring and autumn.
What to see
Gordes is built up its hillside in dry-stone terraces to the château at the top, which stood by 1031 and was rebuilt in 1525. The château holds exhibitions and the tourist office, €6. The Tuesday market fills the center from 8:00 to 13:00 all year, and the tourist office sends photographers to the Rocher Bel-Air for the classic view of the village, best late in the day.
Below Gordes, the Village des Bories is a cluster of dry-stone huts, €8 and open every day of the year except January 1 and December 25. Sénanque lies about 4 kilometers north in its own valley. Its lavender rows bloom in front of the abbey from mid-June to mid-July; dress modestly, keep silent inside, and leave dogs and drones behind.
Roussillon sits on the ochre that made it rich, and the houses are colored every shade of it. Walk the ochre trail, then visit Ôkhra, the old ochre works turned museum, open from February to December. The village market is on Thursday morning.
Ménerbes, where Peter Mayle moved in 1987 and wrote A Year in Provence, has the Maison de la Truffe et du Vin and a museum of more than 1,200 corkscrews. Lacoste is the village under the ruined château of the Marquis de Sade, which Pierre Cardin bought in 2001. Bonnieux, on the next hill, holds its market on Friday.
On the south side of the ridge, Lourmarin has a Renaissance château, €8, and a Friday market of more than 180 stalls. Oppède-le-Vieux is an old village closed to cars, with a ruined château above it. North of the hills, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue holds an antiques market every Sunday, and its big Easter fair runs March 25 to 29, 2027.
Getting there and around
By car from central Avignon, Gordes takes about 45 minutes, Roussillon and Bonnieux about 55 and Lourmarin about an hour. Gordes charges €8 for up to four hours of parking, with the first 30 minutes free, and the road down to Sénanque runs one way from March 15 to September 30.
Zou! line 917 runs from Coustellet through Gordes and Roussillon to Apt, four times a day Monday to Saturday and never on Sunday. Line 918 runs from Coustellet through Oppède, Ménerbes, Lacoste and Bonnieux twice a day. Lines 907 and 915 run from Avignon to Coustellet to connect.
Regional trains run from Avignon Centre to L’Isle-Fontaine-de-Vaucluse station in about 30 minutes. Sénanque, the Village des Bories and most of the viewpoints have no bus at all.
Our second day on the three-day trip covers Roussillon, Gordes and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse in one van with eight guests at most, and the Six Days in Provence makes a similar loop privately. The Five Days in Provence adds a private day in Aix and the Luberon with a wine tasting, and the Lavender Tour stops at Gordes and Sénanque in July.
When to go
Lavender blooms from mid-June to mid-July around Sénanque and in the valleys below the villages. Our Provence Lavender Tour runs from Avignon every day from July 6 to 25 and sells out.
April to June and September to October are the best months for the villages. In July and August, Gordes and Roussillon fill from late morning, so arrive early or late in the day.
Winter is truffle season, with a Saturday producers’ market in Gordes from December to March. The Lavender Museum at Coustellet closes from December 24 to March 29, Ôkhra closes from late December through January, and the ochre trail keeps short hours in the cold months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Luberon villages should I see first?
Gordes and Roussillon, with Sénanque between them in lavender season. With a second day, add Ménerbes, Lacoste and Bonnieux on the north side of the ridge, or Lourmarin on the south side for its Friday market.
Can I visit the Luberon without a car?
Partly. Line 917 reaches Gordes and Roussillon four times a day from Coustellet, Monday to Saturday, and line 918 reaches Ménerbes, Lacoste and Bonnieux twice a day. Sénanque and most viewpoints have no bus. On your own you get one or two villages a day around the timetable; our second day covers three Luberon villages and three more sights by van.
When is the lavender in bloom at Sénanque?
From mid-June to mid-July in most years, with the cut starting in July. The fields in front of the abbey are off-limits to walk in. Our Lavender Tour visits Sénanque, Gordes and Sault from July 6 to 25.
Should I stay in Gordes or Avignon?
Gordes puts you in the middle of the villages and is quiet at night; Avignon has the trains, the restaurants and the Palais. Most of our trips stay in Avignon and drive out, and our Provence Biking Trip stays two nights in Gordes.
Is there a tour from Paris?
Yes. Our Best of Provence in Three Days, $1,925, covers Gordes, Roussillon and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse on its big day. The Provence Biking Trip, $1,185, rides the Luberon by e-bike from Gordes, and the Five Days in Provence, $1,850, adds a private day in Aix and the Luberon. All meet at Avignon TGV.
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