With its green hills and lavender fields, the Luberon is an ideal place to enjoy nature. With many hiking and biking trails, there are activities for the whole family. Explore the narrow streets of the charming villages of the region before heading to the Ocher trails of Roussilon & Rustrel to admire a memorable sunset.
The Abbey "Notre Dame de Sénanque"
Enclosed since the 12th century in the hollow of its Provençal valley, Notre-Dame de Sénanque Abbey appears as one of the purest examples of primitive Cistercian architecture.
As 900 years ago, the Abbey houses a community of Cistercian Brothers who live under the Rule of Saint Benedict.
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Seven times a day, the community gathers in the abbey church to pray.
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The monks of Sénanque, in a concern of sharing, open the doors of their Abbey to the visitors: the visit allows to admire the abbey church, the former dormitory, the cloister, the room of the heater and the room of the chapter, built in the 12th and 13th centuries.
In order to allow as many people as possible to visit this exceptional heritage, the price of the visit has not changed for several years.
The village de Gordes
Built on the edge of the Vaucluse plateau, Gordes is one of the star villages in the Luberon where many celebrities and artists have taken up residence.
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Its dry white or gray stone houses line up in a spiral around the rock on which the village stands, with at its summit the church and the Bastide facing the Luberon hills.
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Its privileged location, its exceptional charm, and its typical architecture have earned it being ranked 'one of the most beautiful villages in France'.
The village of Bories
A few steps from Gordes, located on the slopes of the Monts de Vaucluse, extends the village of Bories, also called 'Black Village', and listed as a Historic Monument since 1977.
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These constructions with simple and clean forms date back to the Bronze Age.
Initially intended to house the tools of the peasants, they gradually became dwellings. Inhabited until the 19th century, this village bears witness to ancestral know-how.
Avignon and the "Palais des Papes" (The Popes' Palace)
The Palais des Papes is the symbol of the influence of the Catholic Church on the Christian West in the fourteenth century. Built in 1335, in less than twenty years, it is mainly the work of two popes, Benedict XII and his successor Clement VI.
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The monument offers visitors a regular cultural activity throughout the year.
Thematic and educational exhibitions, theme tours and concerts are organized.
Generally during the summer season, a large art exhibition occupies the Great Chapel, ("Les Papesses" in 2013, Miquel Barcelo in 2010, "La beauté" in 2000, etc ...) while the performances of the Festival of Avignon, created by Jean Vilar in 1947, take place in July in the Cour d'Honneur du Palais.
Le trail of Ochres
The important Rustrel deposit has earned its careers the evocative name of Colorado French.
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This exceptional site, named for its variety of shapes and colors, combines the pleasure of hiking and discovering an industrial heritage.
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The beauty of the site is the result of the work done by four generations of ochers and peasants.
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The old ocher sites of the hills stretched about 4 km. The site covers more than 100 hectares.
In our region, enjoy wine tours, wine tastings, numerous golf courses and walks on foot or horseback.
To find the link of the tourist office of Luberon and discover other activities in the region, click here.