When Peter Mayle’s blockbuster bestseller, A Year in Provence, came out in 1989, I was spending my junior year abroad in Aix-en-Provence, not too far from the tiny town of Ménerbes in the Vaucluse, where Mayle had settled in a ramshackle house and began to make a life for himself among the colorful French neighbors he immortalized in a book that has been translated into dozens of languages. I don’t think I knew about Mayle’s book at the time–I was intent on being an extra cool student abroad, reading Marguerite Duras and Stendhal in French, conspicuously seated at the cafés lining the Cours Mirabau. (Fortunately I didn’t go so far as to don a beret or start smoking. I cringe a little thinking back on my 19-year-old self).

I was lucky enough that year to visit Mayle’s beloved Ménerbes before it became overrun with English and American tourists, and I found myself enchanted by many of the other hill towns that dot the small region known as the Luberon Valley –Gordes, Rousillon, Goult, Saint Remy, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, to name a few. That enchantment hasn’t dulled in all those years, though I’m glad to say I’ve grown up a little, and I plod through my French novels in private now.

A few years after my stint in Aix, I ended up living in Northern France for a few years, teaching English in a French lycée in Metz. I loved being one of the only Americans in this little-known but very lovely small city at the confluence of the Moselle and Seille Rivers, with its gorgeous Cathedral (boasting a few stained glass windows by Chagall), its kind and generous people, and its proximity to parts of France and Europe I knew little about – Strasbourg, the Vosges Mountains, Nancy, Luxembourg. The best part of being so far from the centers of international study was the ease with which I made French friends who welcomed me into their bande d’amis. The worst part was the weather. So I spent a good bit of time in those years hopping a train south to catch the sun and to explore the delights of Provence.

I’ve returned almost every year to France since I left Metz, sometimes a few times a year, and no matter how often I push myself to explore something new – Normandy one year, the Dordogne Valley another, Corsica, the Alps, the Ardèche, I’m always drawn South. In fact, as I write, I’m on a plane headed home from a two week visit to the tiny villages of Gassin, just above St. Tropez and St. Paul de Vence, near Antibes.

What follows in this guide is a set of recommendations for travelers to the Luberon in the heart of Provence based on my own wanderings and discoveries. I’m no expert on the place, though I’ve returned to it over many summers, but I hope my personal musings are helpful for those who are planning a first visit.

The Luberon

It’s no surprise that so many foreigners are drawn to Provence in general and to the Luberon Valley in particular. One of the great delights of travel in France for me has been driving through the gentle (and sometimes vertiginous) hills of Provence and coming upon the distant view of a Medieval town perched on a hill and bathed in the golden light of a late summer evening. Seen from far and near, the villages of the Luberon charm at every turn. Hollyhocks and poppies spring from the cracks in the foundations of houses that line the narrow stone streets, and everywhere there are colored doors and shutters of impossibly subtle shades of blue and green. It’s easy to imagine that these places were constructed by a movie production company with a big budget, but real French life bustles from upper windows of apartments and on the boules courts and in the cafés. Laundry lines run from one window to the opposite, and cats seem to be cared for by entire villages.

Any place in this part of France is heaven, so you can’t go wrong in choosing somewhere to base your vacation. You’ll definitely need a car since the pleasure of the place is the wandering.

Where to Stay

Our family and friends have always rented houses, which for a group is a surprisingly reasonable way to go in terms of cost. I love the selections offered by Only Provence, an agency owned by the wonderful John Deane from Atlanta and specializing only in houses of the region. Le Collectioniste is newer to the market, and we’ve also had good luck with their offerings. We have rented in Goult (my favorite of all the houses), in Roussillon, and in Bonnieux.

If a hotel is more your style, Crillon le Brave is gorgeous and expensive. Le Baumanière in Les Baux de Provence is spectacular (and also expensive), and best of all is Arielle Gordes, Le Bastide, in the beautiful town of Gordes. There are also many more affordable auberges and smaller hotels across Provence, and I have friends who love to stay in the many chambres d’hôtes that are so plentiful in Provence. These options are something like a Bed and Breakfast, but more intimate in that you stay in a room in the actual home French family who will serve you a meal and welcome you like family. It’s a great option for people wanting to brush up on their French.

If I were renting a house again, I’d search in one of the following villages, with the caveat that the house itself is more important than its location. Be sure to consider whether you’d like to be within walking distance of the village or if you’re content to be further afield.

Goult, Bonnieux, Lourmarin, Eygalières, Roussillon.

One note of caution when choosing a hotel or village: the region around Ménerbes is very pretty, but the village itself has been paved to accommodate the pilgrims to the shrine of Peter Mayle, and you’re likely to be confronted by many large tour buses dropping off day-trippers from Aix or Avignon or even Paris. I hate to say that it’s my least favorite place in the region.

Where to Explore 

Most of my visits to the Luberon have revolved around market days. My husband’s days revolve around reading in the shade of a plane tree in the garden and eating a late dinner when everyone else comes home from their explorations, so there’s something for everyone, especially if you rent a house. We once rented a place built in the midst of a cherry orchard, and my children had the best time picking cherries right off the low-hanging branches as the cicadas hummed in the twilight. It really was like something out of a movie. If you’re renting a villa, hiring a local chef for a few meals is an absolute luxury. We’ve worked with Chef Ronald Guillaume on all of our visits and he is as delightful as he is talented in the kitchen.

Organizing village visits by market day is a fun way to start the trip and to discover the different characters of the many small towns in the region. Provencal markets are unique in that they don’t just sell vegetables, fruit, meats and cheeses (of which there are plenty); they also offer handmade soaps, clothing, toys, home goods and antiques. My favorite villages for markets are: Gordes, Lourmarin, Bonnieux and Saint Remy. On each market day, I plan a lunch in or near the village and something else in the neighborhood.

Above: L'Abbaye de Sénanque

For example, after visiting Gordes and stocking up on cheese, bread, saucisson and wine, I love having a picnic near the L’Abbaye de Sénanque followed by a tour of the abbey. If you can plan this particular excursion during the height of lavender season, all the better, but all the seasons in Provence are worth experiencing and have their own special quality.

The larger market in St. Remy is worth giving some extra time, and you must visit the St. Paul Asylum, where Van Gogh spent his last days and where he painted - among other masterpieces - Starry Night. If you’re a great lover of Van Gogh, a side trip to Arles is very much worth the drive further afield. It too has a bustling market, and it’s here that Van Gogh painted l’Arlesienne and the famous painting of his bedroom.

Last time I visited St. Remy, we stumbled upon the Moulin du Calanquet, a working olive mill owned for generations by the same family. It’s simple and small, but a wonderful place to visit and learn a bit about the production of olive oil, to taste local products, and to see a charming house and farm at work.

If you love antiquing, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is as good as it gets. Built along the Sorgue river, the town and the brocante stands offer the chance for a pleasant stroll whether you’re buying or not. I’ve found so many wonderful things in this town: set after set of heavy damask napkins with those substantial 19^th century monograms. My favorite nightgown that was originally worn as a slip beneath an 18^th century dress. Copper pots and planters, and all manner of faience.

For a break from marketing and antiquing, I love to spend a day in La Fontaine de Vaucluse, located at the source of the river Sorgue and the perfect spot for a half day of kayaking. It’s a beautiful village for exploring, but it’s also a wonderful spot for getting out of town and into nature. There are many outfits that rent kayaks, and a simple Google search will set you off in the right direction.

Lacoste is another pretty village and famous for its artistic community. SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) owns a set of buildings there and hosts a fabulous study abroad program. As a result, there are plenty of interesting galleries and installations. Just outside the village is the Chateau de Lacoste, where the Marquis de Sade spent time in exile and which has been renovated by Pierre Cardin and contains some of the furnishings and art from his collections. We stumbled upon it one summer and were glad we did.

Many people love visiting Les Baux-de-Provence, a town that seems to hang off the cliff on which it is built and has a ruined chateau at its center. It’s very popular with tourists, but the real attraction here, to me, is having a sublime meal at the 3-Michelin starred restaurant, l’Oustau de Baumanière at the Hotel Baumanière. Leave plenty of time as it’s a half-day affair. And get a driver. The wine list is beyond compare.

Above: Market Day in Lourmarin

Aix-en-Provence is a stunning town that draws thousands of foreign students every year who study in its institutes and university. Since I lived there in the early 1990s, it has become a much bigger city, and the last time I was there it was snarled with traffic. Still, once you get parked, it’s heavenly strolling the Cours Mirabeau with its many moss-covered fountains (Aix means water) and wandering the maze of backstreets that open unexpectedly into beautiful squares. The Cathédrale Saint-Sauveur is a beautiful example of architectural styles from the 12^th through the 19^th centuries, all represented in the structure which was built and rebuilt over many hundreds of years.

I love visiting the Atelier Cézanne just outside of town, and there is something magical about pairing a morning in town and at the atelier with a picnic and hike on the the Montagne Sainte Victoire, which was painted by Cézanne in one of his most famous canvases.

Avignon is usually the arrival and departure point for any trip to the Luberon, with its TGV station that runs directly to the Gare de Lyon (if you’re heading to or from Paris) and directly to Charles de Gaulle if you aren’t (which is very convenient). Avignon and its papal history are fascinating and the Papal palace is definitely worth a visit for the history lover, but Avignon is a true city, and I’m usually eager on visits south to get away from anything bigger than a one-boulangerie town.

My final recommendation for anyone visiting the Luberon for a week or more is a day trip (or even an overnight stay) to the seaside town of Cassis. Much smaller and more manageable than the glitzy towns of the Riviera, it is known for its beautiful coastline and its calanques, needle-like rock formations that rise from the sea and form beautiful inlets, ideal for swimming. To access the calanques, you’ll need to hire a boat, and there are plenty of fishermen at the port whom you can engage to take you out on the day-of without a reservation. For a more organized trip, it’s probably best to call ahead. The restaurants that line the port offer sub-par fare, so I’d recommend staying away from those. Book in advance at Les Belle Canailles in the Hotel Les Roches Blanches. Not only does it have an incredible view of the Mediterranean, but it also allows you to sample delicious local dishes such as pistou, bouillabaisse and soupe de poisson. La Presque’ile is also a great choice situated near the water with a direct view of the calanques serving great food. A day of hiking, boating and eating in Cassis with a late return to your lodging in the Luberon is a day well spent.

And this brings me to my final thought: after taking in the beauty of the Luberon over several summers and delighting in the sea from a perch in Cassis, I’ve enjoyed over the past few years exploring more of the coast in order to have daily access to the sea. I’ve stayed away from Nice and Cannes and the bigger seaside resorts, but have found that, contrary to what many people say, Antibes, St. Tropez and environs aren’t just for the mega-yacht set. You can actually experience something akin to a hybrid vacation here – with beautiful medieval villages and markets in the hills, rocky coves along the rugged parts of the coast, or white sand beaches and beach clubs in the more rarified spots.

Granted, hotels and villa rentals are more expensive in these areas of the Riviera, so Cassis could be a less expensive staging spot, as would Sanary-sur-Mer, another pretty fishing village along the coast West of Saint Tropez. But having spent the past two weeks in the small villages of St. Paul de Vence and Gassin in the hills above the coast, the first near Antibes and the other near Saint Tropez, I’m a new convert to an area I’ve always feared would be too intimidating and too blingy. I’m happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised by the authenticity and charm of the Riviera. I’ll report back once I’ve had time to gather my notes on this part of France. I am beyond lucky in my partnership with the wonderful Teresa Chope and her team at Gallivant.

Teresa always pushes me to explore beyond what I already know, and her bespoke travel services always include recommendations and reservations to discover the unexpected, from special villas located in towns that perfectly fit the description of my dream-spot, to restaurants, museums and shops far from the madding crowd.

I hope wherever you are this summer, near or far, that you experience the wonder and joys of travel.