Return to the Luberon

Return to the Luberon

2013 Trip: May 25 – June 1

NOTE: This trip is now open to all travelers, whether you have visited Provence before or will be coming for the first time.

If you add up all our time in the Luberon, we’re approaching two years– but every trip is still an incredible thrill for us. Whether we’re leading a group of new friends on The Luberon Experience or simply enjoying family time in a place we love, the familiarity and quiet comfort of this enchanting valley offers a marvelous starting point for new friends and new discoveries.

We’ve called this special Luberon Experience week “Return to the Luberon,” since many people who have joined us in Provence wanted to come back for some different experiences. In addition to our returning travelers, this trip is now open to others as an alternative to The Luberon Experience.

We’re especially excited about this trip, a chance for us to share more special places we’ve discovered in and beyond the Luberon.

Le Pont du Gard

Here’s just a sample of what we have planned:

  • A return trip to the Sunday morning market at L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, followed by our traditional market picnic. (Charley will host an optional visit to Fontaine la Vaucluse—the source of the River Sorgue—for those who prefer a different experience.)
  • Explorations of nearby villages not included on our Luberon Experience trip (St. Saturnin-lès-Apt and Goult).
  • A day on the south side of the Luberon mountain, including the villages of Lourmarin, Ansouis, and Cucuron and a visit to the Val Joanis winery. (The outdoor movie/date scene in “A Good Year” was filmed in Cucuron.)
  • A day trip to the famous wine town of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, including a winery tour and tasting and lunch at a very special restaurant. We’ll also visit the Pont du Gard (pictured above), a spectacular Roman aqueduct that was built 2000 years ago and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
  • A day trip to an isolated and rugged area northeast of Apt. We’ll visit the wild and rocky gorge at Oppedette, the beautiful gardens at the 12th century abbey at Valsaintes, and the unique village of Simiane-la-Rotonde. We’ll picnic at Valsaintes.
  • The opportunity to visit outdoor markets at St. Saturnin, Bonnieux and Lourmarin.
  • Another very special lunch with Sally and François at Domaine Faverot
  • Several options for short walks or longer hikes.
  • Free time for relaxing at Le Clos du Buis and enjoying the village.
  • And many surprises!

See more photos of the new places we’ll visit during the Return to the Luberon week:

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For those interested in a truly “gastronomique” dining experience, on the “dinner-on-your-own” night we’ll organize an optional dinner at the Michelin two-star restaurant at the Bastide de Capelongue. This restaurant is located just above the village of Bonnieux and is owned by the 2011 Gault-Millau “Chef of the Year” Eduoard Loubet.

There are two pick-up/drop-off points for this trip: either the Avignon TGV station or the Marseille airport. We’ll meet the group at 2:00 pm on the first Saturday and drop-off the following Saturday morning to support trains after 10:00 am or flights after 10:30 am.

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