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walking |
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self guided |
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| Colours and scents of the Luberon |
The paths of the Luberon reveal untamed hills and hidden canyons, hilltop villages, cultivated fields of olive groves, cherry orchards and vineyards, as well as colourful Provençal markets. The Luberon harbours prestigious villages, among the most beautiful in France: Isle sur la Sorgue, Gordes, Bonnieux… all with their typical Provençal charm and flair. The region combines the best of what Provence has to offer: scenery worthy of endless postcards, a rich history and culture, great Mediterranean food, stunning walking paths. |
| Day 1 : Along the waters of the Sorgue
Isle sur la Sorgue
Your walking holiday begins at your B&B in the heart of the village of Isle sur la Sorgue (market on Thursdays and Sundays, antique market on weekends). This veritable island of a village is carved into a circle by the waters of the Sorgue, with quaint quayside antique shops and a labyrinth of narrow roads in the centre. Dinner and night in your B&B.
Day 2 : From ancient walls to a towering village
Fontaine de Vaucluse>Gordes
- walking time about 4 hours and 15min. - 13km - +450m/-200m
Short transfer to the town of Fontaine de Vaucluse, where its mysterious spring has attracted poets, scientists, and travellers from around the globe. Your walking path climbs through brush and cedar forests and up to a stony plateau, from where the views extend to the entire Luberon range. You walk alongside a “plague wall”, a portion of a 30km wall built in 1721 to prevent the plague from reaching the Provence of the Popes. You reach Gordes, your base for two nights, listed as “one of the most beautiful villages in France”, its homes rising out of the Calavon valley and perched vertiginously on a rocky spur (Tuesday market). Dinner and night in Gordes.
Day 3 : To an 850 year-old abbey surrounded by lavender
Gordes>Senanque>Gordes
- walking time about 3 hours and 15min.- 10km - +250m/-250m
Your walking tour continues along hidden paths to Sénanque Abbey, a jewel of 12th century architecture. Built in 1148, the abbey has housed an order of Cistercian monks for over 850 years. A guided tour of the abbey will allow you to visit the medieval parts of the monastery. Your path then climbs out of the Sénancole valley, with breathtaking bird’s-eye views of the abbey. Your descent back to Gordes is just as scenic, walking along ancient stone walls and among bories – dry stone dwellings. Dinner and night in Gordes.
Day 4 : The timeless and unknown village of Goult
Gordes>St Pantaléon>Goult
- walking time about 3 hours and 45min. - 12km - +100m/-250m
Leaving Gordes you walk through the thyme and rosemary scented hills, passing isolated farms, before reaching the hamlet of Saint-Pantaléon. You then continue towards the perched village of Goult, timeless and unassuming, authentic and unvisited by traditional walking tours, its medieval homes packed around the ruins of its castle. From Goult you descend the ridgeline, though former terrace walls, and into the Calavon valley, to find your hotel hidden in the countryside. Dinner and night in Goult.
Day 5 : Lacoste and Bonnieux, villages from A Year in Provence
Goult>Lacoste>Bonnieux
- walking time about 3 hours and 30min. - 11km - +315m/-250m
With wide sweeping views you walk along a shelf path above the Calavon, passing the ruins of bories and farmhouses. You reach Lacoste, crowned by the ruins of the castle of the Marquis de Sade, (in)famous for his writings that would send him to prison for half his life, ideas that would spawn a widely-used term drawn from his name... Dipping back into the valley you make your way to Bonnieux, a picture perfect Provençal village, on top of which stands a 12th century church surrounded by century-old cedars. Meander through its cobbled streets and relax on the terrace of a café overlooking the valley and the mountains beyond. Private transfer to Isle sur la Sorgue (about 30 min.)and end of your walking holiday.
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| Included |
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- 4 nights double occupancy with private facilities
- 4 breakfasts, 3 picnic lunches, 4 dinners
- Day 2: transfer from Isle to Fontaine by taxi to the beginning of your walk
- Day 5: transfer on from Bonnieux to Isle by taxi at the end of you walk
- Luggage transfers days 2 to 5
- Our Road Book with detailed walking itineraries and a map.
Not included
Entrance fees into museums, insurance, drinks, items of personal nature
Important: from July 1st to September 15th access may be restricted in the Luberon mountains if the risk of forest fire is high. There is a risk that the paths may be forbidden as of noon on any given day or in exceptional circumstances the paths may be forbidden altogether. Information is available at 6:00pm for the following day from the local prefecture by telephone (automated message) or by internet.
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| Highlights |
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> exquisite accommodations
> the hilltop villages of the Luberon, including Gordes, Goult, Lacoste and Bonnieux
> old stone farmhouses, walls, and huts along centuries-old paths |
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| Hotels |
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| La Prévôté |
In the heart of the antiques capital, Severine hosts you in a 17th century convent restored with taste, set atop the flow of the Sorgue river. 5 warm & refined rooms. Jean-Marie proposes his gastronomic cuisine in the former church and its charming courtyard, combining local and Mediterranean products in the purest Provençal tradition. |
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| La Borie |
Set just 800m from the heart of the village of Gordes, and including a 500 year old dry-stone hut – or “borie” – which now houses the kitchen. The 3 quaint rooms are set in a modern addition to the hotel. Swimming pool and beautiful views of the Luberon mountains. |
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| La Borie |
Just steps from the timeless medieval village of Goult, perched high above the Calavon valley. You will be welcomed by Dominique in her majestic, old stone home, in a relaxing atmosphere under the old wooden beams. Large swimming pool among olive trees, the perfume of lavender and rosemary that will have you bathing in the purest of Provençal ambiance. |
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