Life’s little pleasures in Le Petit Luberon, Provence

If Dr. Victor Caparas weren’t such an excellent eye surgeon, he would probably be the most sought-after travel planner and manager for outstanding bespoke tours in France. For us lucky ones, he is all of the above. He prepared a superb trip for four couples — himself, his lovely wife Corlu, Bloogs and Mardes Nicandro, Robert and Ana Oss, and my husband Mitto and me — which started with a train ride from Paris to Avignon, and which lasted six glorious days. We visited charming towns in the Vaucluse, located in Le Petit Luberon. We dined in “Vic-vetted” restaurants, set in picture-perfect wineries. We lived in a five-bedroom villa/farmhouse in Villars, complete with a swimming pool, an ample kitchen and dining room, and 1.3 hectares of land filled with chestnut, apricot and olive trees.

Imagine waking up and looking out the window to see a landscape that looks like a painting. But it’s for real! No wonder the light, colors, views and bucolic atmosphere inspired many artists to live in this area.

After renting two vehicles, we navigated winding mountain roads using Garmin and Waze, reaching our destination easily, sometimes losing it. Looking for parking spaces in the towns became both a source of stress and endless laughter! We visited the supermarket, Le Clerc, in Apt. This was our source of sustenance for breakfasts, the one night we stayed at “home” and cooked dinner (correction: Vic cooked, the others chopped and set the table), value-for-money wine, and delicious local cheeses.

Every day, we would visit towns which were just about an hour’s drive away or even less, each with its own history, arts and crafts, and incomparable restaurant nested under shade trees, overlooking grapevines and rolling hills.

We drove through gorgeous Gordes, whose stone houses are built on rocks on the edge of the Vaucluse plateau. Artists like Marc Chagall, Jean Deyrolle and Pol Mara came here, inspired by the scenery.

Notre Dame de Senanque, a Cisterian Abbey near Gordes, was founded in 1148. During the Wars of Religion, the community was expelled by the Huguenots. A small group of monks returned in 1988.  The monks now grow lavender and tend honeybees for their livelihood.

Ménerbes is a walled village built on a hill that is surrounded by panoramic views of the countryside. The ruins of the Chateau de Lacoste, the country residence of the infamous Marquis de Sade, can be seen from a distance.

British author Peter Mayle and his wife settled in Ménerbes. His books, like A Year in Provence, A Good Year and Toujours Provence, are written with delightful tongue-in-cheek humor, describing his experiences with the locals and the travails of a foreigner who buys a property in the south of France.          

Picasso — like many artists, musicians and writers — also owned a house in Ménerbes.

We visited the market in Cucuron, set around the Bassin de l’Etang, a beautiful pool of water, shaded by 200-year-old plane trees. There were many stalls selling lavender scents and soaps, Laguiole cutlery, olive wood products, huge cakes of different kinds of nougat, and French table linen. We were glad we went early and enjoyed the attention of stall owners. We left when a tour bus arrived.

The view from Bonnieux (425 meters high) is a panorama of vineyards and orchards. A 12th century Roman/Gothic vieille eglise (old church), while no longer active, is lined with lovely cedar trees. A fortified village as early as AD 972, its inhabitants barricaded the town against invaders.

Roussillon, true to its name, is beautifully russet, even from afar. It has the largest ochre deposit in the world. The natural pigment used in paint and bricks give the houses varying shades of oranges and reds. Colorful doors add to its charm.

Shops sell irresistible ceramics, giftware, and table linen — so colorful! The only thing that stopped us from buying too many plates and cups was the fact that we would have had to load these aboard a train back to Paris. (People who have taken trains in Europe will attest to the fact that speed and luggage-loading skills must be used — as station stops are painfully brief. And, if you want to keep your shoulders in their sockets, please use bags with wheels.)

Lovely Lourmarin is our absolute favorite Le Petit Luberon village. It has typical Mediterranean houses, winding streets, and public squares with cafes and restaurants. The shopping is interesting and varied — real leaves dipped in silver and crafted into jewelry, well-designed linen bags, plates and bowls, sequined espadrilles. There was even a store that sold plump, wooden hippos from Kenya!

The town’s claim to fame is Albert Camus, who lived here and is buried here.

Our Provençal experience was a dream come true. The fun of sharing a well-appointed private country home with good friends beats staying in a city hotel anytime. The ease of driving to quaint villages at our own time and pace makes for stress-free excursions for shopping. And the food! Vic evaluated and selected each and every restaurant, and made the reservations way in advance. There are other regions of Provence worth a visit. We’ll take it, a spoonful at a time.

* * *

Tell me where to Walk the Talk: cecilialicauco2@gmail.com. Follow me on Instagram: cecilialicauco2.