Exploring the Luberon from Avignon: routes, villages, tips

The Luberon is that blessed corner of inland Provence that captivated the British (thanks to Peter Mayle) and that Parisians flee to (Avignon is their last stop before the Calanques). 35 minutes from Avignon, it’s the absolutely essential day trip of any Avignon stay.

Here are 3 routes we’ve tested and approved.

Preamble: a car is almost mandatory

The Luberon is a string of perched villages linked by secondary roads. Public transport between villages is essentially non-existent.

Options:

• Rent a car at the Avignon TGV station (Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt): €35–65/day depending on season
• Organized tours: depart from Avignon, around €60–80 per person for the day (Provence Réservation, Avignon Tour)
• E-bike: possible but ambitious (significant elevation change — figure 6 hours for 3 villages)

Itinerary 1 — Gordes / Sénanque / Roussillon (the iconic loop)

Distance: 60 km · Driving time: 1h30 · Total duration: 8h

9:00 AM — Leave Avignon

Take the D900 toward Apt. Coustellet exit, follow signs for Gordes.

9:45 AM — Gordes

The most-photographed perched village in France. Park in the free lot at the bottom (village entrance, rare in high season) or in the paid lot at the top (more convenient). Panoramic view from the road as you arrive: that’s THE photo to take.

To see: the Renaissance château (Pol Mara paintings), the pedestrian square, the alleys. 1h30 is enough.

11:30 AM — Notre-Dame de Sénanque Abbey

15 min from Gordes (parking at the bottom, 5 min on foot). A 12th-century Cistercian abbey still inhabited by monks. Guided tour 1 hour. In June–July, the lavender rows in front of the abbey make the world-famous photograph.

Tip: guided tours at 2 PM or 3 PM bookend the lunch break. Don’t show up between 12 and 1 PM — it’s closed.

1:00 PM — Lunch in Roussillon

Drive on to Roussillon (25 min from Sénanque). Le Bistrot de Roussillon (place de la Mairie, terrace) or the simpler Le Petit Jardin. Budget €22–35.

2:30 PM — The Ochre Trail

In Roussillon, the Sentier des Ocres (€3.50, 30–50 min) crosses the old ochre quarry. Incredible colors: 17 shades of yellow, orange, red. Closed shoes recommended (dust). Magnificent photos in late morning or late afternoon.

4:00 PM — Roussillon village

A small high-perched village with ochre-red houses (painted in tradition with local pigments). Art shops, terraces, calmer than Gordes. 1 hour is enough.

5:30 PM — Return to Avignon

Via the D900, about 50 min.

Itinerary 2 — Bonnieux / Lacoste / Ménerbes (the golden triangle)

Distance: 70 km · Driving time: 2h · Total duration: 9h

The “three perched villages” of the southern Luberon, less frequented than Gordes-Roussillon but just as spectacular.

9:30 AM — Leave Avignon, head to Bonnieux

D900 then D36. 50 min by car.

10:30 AM — Bonnieux

A village stacked on a hillside. Walk up to the high church for a panoramic view of the Luberon. Coffee at Place du Vieux Marché (Le Bistrot de Bonnieux). 1 to 1h30.

12:00 PM — Lacoste

10 min by car. The village of the Marquis de Sade’s château (weekend visits possible). Atmosphere of raw stone, magnificent view of Bonnieux across the valley.

At lunch, the Hôtel des Trois Frères terrace: simple, well-done cuisine, with a view.

2:30 PM — Ménerbes

15 min away. The village of Peter Mayle (“A Year in Provence”). Very chic, antique shops, art galleries. Maison de la Truffe et du Vin is worth a stop (€5, tasting). For lunch: L’Atelier de Ménerbes, with a panoramic terrace.

4:30 PM — Goult or Joucas (option)

On the way back, two less-visited but splendid villages: Goult (simple, authentic) or Joucas (Gordes’s quieter cousin). 30 min in each is enough.

6:00 PM — Return to Avignon

50 min via the D900.

Itinerary 3 — The ochre trail (Rustrel + Roussillon)

Distance: 80 km · Driving time: 2h · Total duration: 9h

The option for photographers and lovers of spectacular landscapes.

9:30 AM — Leave Avignon

Toward Apt via the D900 (1h).

10:30 AM — Apt — Saturday market

If you happen to be there on a Saturday, the Apt market is one of the largest in Provence (local produce, crafts, atmosphere). 1 hour for a loop including tastings.

11:30 AM — The Colorado Provençal of Rustrel

15 min from Apt. An old ochre quarry turned into a nature park (free entry, €5 parking). Several trails (1h, 2h, 3h depending on what you want to see). The rock formations are reminiscent of Utah. Spectacular.

Important: wear shoes you don’t mind getting dirty. Ochre stains.

1:30 PM — Lunch in Rustrel or Saint-Saturnin

Village bistros, simple, round prices (€15–22).

3:00 PM — The Roussillon Ochre Trail

The other ochre site, 30 min away. Smaller, more developed than Rustrel. See itinerary 1.

5:00 PM — Apéritif in Bonnieux or head back

Depending on your energy, either coffee in Bonnieux on the way back, or straight back to Avignon.

6:00 PM — Return to Avignon

Cross-cutting tips

When to go

• April–June: mild, flowers, moderate crowds. Ideal.
• June–July: lavender, but July = high season, plan ahead
• September–October: harvest season + mild weather, few people. Our favorite
• November–March: quiet, many places closed. For lovers of solitude.

Markets to target

• Monday: Cadenet
• Tuesday: Cucuron, Gordes (high season)
• Wednesday: Sault, Saint-Saturnin
• Thursday: Roussillon, Ménerbes
• Friday: Bonnieux, Carpentras (the big one)
• Saturday: Apt, Roussillon
• Sunday: Coustellet (morning), Cadenet

The Friday morning market in Bonnieux is our favorite for its balance of authenticity and selection.

Luberon wines

• Château La Verrerie (Puget): free visit, very good reds
• Domaine de la Citadelle (Ménerbes): visit + corkscrew museum
• Domaine de la Royère (Oppède): exceptional rosés, family atmosphere
• Selling wine in 5L bag-in-box = excellent budget option

Restaurants worth the stop

• La Petite Maison de Cucuron (1 Michelin star): never disappoints, €38 lunch
• Le Mas de la Beaume (Gordes): cliff-edge terrace
• Auberge de l’Aiguebrun (Bonnieux): forest setting + market cuisine
• La Bastide de Gordes: if you want full palace treatment

Mistakes to avoid

• Trying to see everything in one day → 3 villages max, no more
• Going on August 15 (peak crowds, parking saturated)
• Not having a full tank (gas stations are rare in the villages)
• Eating on the main square of a touristy village without checking first — prefer the side alleys 50 m away
• Buying ochre in souvenir bags at tourist shops: often imported. Prefer Les Ocres de France in Apt (real local production).

Getting there from Avignon: practical info

• Avignon TGV station → car rental in 5 min
• Avignon center → Hertz/Avis rentals (rue de la République)
• Fuel: fill up before Apt (rare stations beyond)
• Roads: the D900 is the main axis, well-maintained. The secondary D-roads to the villages are narrow but drivable.

Staying at Lavande Évasion or Lavande Dorée (Avignon intra-muros)? You’re 5 minutes on foot from the central station, and a 20-minute bus ride from the TGV station where the rental agencies are. Ideal for flipping between city and nature.

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