I had been to the Cote d’Azur and many other parts of France over the years, but had never visited Provence, despite enjoying Peter Mayle’s book “A Year in Provence.” Most of the time for family holidays, I look for places where the kids can enjoy themselves as much as they can and there is something to enjoy for the adults as well! Provence offered beautiful villages, fantastic open-air markets, and magical experiences.
On this trip, after much research, we decided to stay in a small village in the Luberon called Goult. It is located only a few kilometers from Bonnieux and Gordes, two towns that tend to draw a lot of tourists during the busy season. It is perched on a hill with a road that rises to a peak. There at the end is a chateau and an old windmill. The village has a few charming shops including a bakery, a cheese shop, a pizzeria, and a market that, despite its small size, contained virtually every possible thing one might need for their home. The real draws, however, for this region are the beautiful vineyards, lavender fields, and cypress trees intermixed with Roman ruins throughout the area.
The joy for us was visiting the amazing markets in the region. On our first day after an early rise with coffee and croissants from the local bakery, we visited the village of Apt, which has one of the largest markets in the Luberon. There, I bought one of those large market bags and filled it to the brim with everything from prawns and the famous Banon goat cheese wrapped in chestnut leaves to scented soaps in cassis and lavender, and fougasse, a bread made with olives. The Provence region is known for flavors that typically combine the bounty of the region including olives, anchovies cured in salt, and beautiful deep red tomatoes. All of these flavors are used in traditional Provencal recipes such as bouillabaisse, ratatouille, salade niçoise and a very garlicky mayonnaise, Aioli.
A true exploration of the Luberon requires a car and a willingness to get out on the roads and explore. I would recommend the following towns in the region and a few restaurants to further enjoy this beautiful part of the world:
Goult: we selected this village to stay in because it had an appealing mix of shops and restaurants with lovely views of the surrounding area. It may lack the tourist flash of nearby Roussillon or Gordes, but it’s quiet charm and refined beauty make me want to return as soon as we can. Here are some of the restaurants and establishments we enjoyed during our stay:
Le Carillon – a winner of one Michelin star, this fine dining establishment faces Goult’s main square and offers excellent seasonal dishes with a lovely outdoor terrace.
Pizzeria Due Cote de Chez Moi – okay, pizza in the middle of the Luberon? I was dubious. After all, my grandmother Venturella hailed from Salerno, not far from Napoli. But I was pleasantly surprised. It was takeout only, so many people got a pizza to go and ate it while enjoying drinks from the bar at Café de la Poste in the middle of the village. It was so good, we went twice and the children loved it!
Le Garage a Lumieres: this is an interesting spot right off the main road at the bottom of the village with intriguing cocktails and tapas. It’s located in…you guessed it…a former garage. One of the spots that stays open a bit later, so it was perfect for a parents’ only drink after dinner!
Café de la Poste: this restaurant is situated in the heart of the village and is an excellent place to have an appertivo before dinner each night. It’s a wonderful spot to view locals and check out the nightly scene. Some days it was open for coffee and breakfast and it was pleasant sitting outside and enjoying the morning sunshine.
Bonnieux – One of the most impressive hilltop villages in the Luberon, Bonnieux rises out of arid hills and contains a series of ramparts that are dug into bedrock and cliff. This was our first outing when we arrived and we came back a few time to visit he town’s market and to enjoy lunch and explore a bit further. One surprise for us was our ride home in the evening, when dark creatures appeared out of nowhere to run in front of the car as we traveled. It turned out they were weasels, as the region is a popular nesting place. Who knew? It’s well worth visiting if you have the opportunity!
Restaurants:
L’Arome Restaurant: Housed within a charming vaulted cellar, this restaurant’s menu revolves around gourmet ingredients with local dishes taking prominence. The setting is romantic and the service is impeccable.
Le Fournil: This restaurant’s name literally is the “oven” and naturally many items presented are from the aforementioned appliance. It’s location in the middle of town next to the fountain means that it is consistently busy. Our meals consisted of sea bream and lamb for John and I and the kids had duck and potatoes.
Loumarin – The drive to Loumarin was quite dramatic, as we came from high atop Bonnieux and circled down into the valley to drive to the village, that has one of the best regional markets in the area. Other draws include beautiful plazas with old fountains, cobblestone streets, and lively bars and restaurants. The author Albert Camus (1913-1960) lived in the town and is buried here. He apparently bought his house with money he won from his Nobel Prize victory in 1957. I think he made a wise choice, although I certainly wished he had lived longer to enjoy it!
St. Remy de Provence: This town is in the heart of the Alpilles, a low range of mountains surrounding the region, and has several things to draw visitors, most importantly the excavation of Glanum, well preserved Roman ruins with a remarkable Arc de Triomphe and Mausolee des Jules that are together known as “Les Antiques.” Literally right next door, however, is St. Paul de Mausole, the institution where Van Gogh committed himself and produced some of his best works, including Starry Nights. This was the one site my children truly marveled at since they have seen some of Van Gogh’s paintings and were entranced by the location in the same way that the artist probably was in his day. Although this was enough to draw us, the town itself has wonderful restaurants and has a lovely marketplace.
Isle sur Sorgue: This is one of those places that everyone who visits Provence should see. This island city lies at the foot of the Vaucluse Plateau and draws bargain hunters from around the world who are drawn to the nearly 300 antique dealers in the region. There are several canals running through the center of town that give the region great charm and beauty. Walking around the ancient streets, it was fun to cross the little bridges and look at the great wheels with mossy blades turning into the river. The large paddle wheels were once used for manufacturing, but now seem to be there to charm visitors!
Pont du Gard: On a trip to visit Avignon and Orange, two famous sites in of themselves, we ended up taking a ride a bit further West to view the Pont du Gard, an ancient Roman aqueduct bridge built in the first century AD to carry water to the Roman colony of Nimes. This is the highest of all the Roman aqueduct bridges and is probably the best preserved. It was an incredible site and one that humbled all of us to view it in person.
Chateauneuf de Pape: If there is a wine from France that everyone should try just once in their lives, it’s probably Chateauneuf de Pape. A great bottle of this wine bursts with plummy fruit flavors and is a delight for the palate. The site of vineyards producing this wine sits towards the bottom of the Rhone Valley, close to the border of Provence. The name translates as “Pope’s new castle” and refers to the time when the seat of the Roman Catholic church was in Avignon. This wine is considered by most to be the benchmark of the Southern Rhone and should be sampled on a special occasion or when you just want to treat yourself. It is an amazing place to visit.
Restaurants:
Les Verger des Papes: when my children speak of their visit to Provence, they often speak of this restaurant, which should please my father in law since he treated all of us! The view of the surrounding valley and the ruins of the Chateau were impressive, but did not hold a candle to the food, which was exceptional. We started with cheese, served at a perfect temperature and dined on an entrecote, cooked perfectly rare with dauphine potatoes. The ending was a raspberry dessert that satisfied the palate and the soul.
Comments