Our trip to Provence started with an early wake up call in Paris, a short cab ride to the train station and we we were off in no time! Being able to travel quickly and easily by train across Europe is the best. I stocked up on some train station snacks, and before we knew it we arrived in Aix En Provence and hopped in the rental car.

Austin drove us to our hotel in Lourmarin, Le Moulin. I can’t say enough wonderful things about staying at Le Moulin or the town of Lourmarin. If you’re heading to this area of Provence, it’s a great spot to make your home base. We were given a warm welcome upon check in at the hotel with a snack and refreshing beverage. There is a cute bar in the lobby as well as a casual sitting area, and a nice restaurant just beyond the bar. The rooms are more of a modern, rustic, Provencial feel rather than traditionally French, but they were spacious and comfortable. Le Moulin is built right into the town, so as soon as you walk outside you’re only steps away from lots of quaint shops and restaurants.

One of the best reasons to stay in Lourmarin is their Friday morning market. We had heard it was one of the better ones amongst the towns in the Luberon and it surely did not disappoint. There are booths with everything from home goods like baskets and linens to flower stalls, cheese mongers, a wine truck, lavender in every form, clothes, jewelry – you name it. We even saw puppies for sale which were on the tippy top of my want list, but Austin veto’d. The market weaves all around town and brings in a lot of people. It’s a glorious way to spend the morning and early afternoon, especially if the sun is shining!

Every morning started with breakfast at the hotel restaurant. Breakfast is a must for me and they really went all out with it. Fresh breads, juices, fruits, and eggs – it was perfect. One night, we met up with friends at the hotel restaurant, Bacheto, for dinner, and to no ones surprise, it was delicious. Lots of unique sharable plates and special entrees. We really enjoyed it and closed the place down! Other restaurants we went to in Lourmarin were: Da Ora, Cafe Gaby, Restaurant l’Ormeau, and L’insolite. Since I was four and a half months pregnant and still dealing with pregnancy nausea, I often ordered the most bland thing on the menu, so take my restaurant recommendations with a grain of salt. 🙂

We did make a fancy lunch reservation one day at Villa La Coste and it was oh so special. The staff was so kind and accommodating when I told them I was pregnant. The service was beyond! The setting is absolutely gorgeous – in a room with floor to ceiling windows and breezy white sheers, overlooking gardens and breathtaking scenery. We opted for the five course tasting menu and Austin did the wine pairing (I tried sips of his!). Each dish was truly beautiful. I would absolutely go back if given the chance.

 

Next to Villa La Coste is Chateau La Coste, which is a sprawling piece of property with wine, restaurants and art exhibits. The art is extremely unique as it’s mostly all large scale installations outdoors. You buy a ticket and then start walking. They give you a map to follow to be sure you don’t miss anything (it’s all spread out), and there are a few smaller indoor exhibits along the way. It was a really neat way to take in all kinds of art. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes, because it’s not necessarily a leisurely stroll and the entire walk takes a couple of hours, so it’s a bit of a commitment (one I’m so glad we did!). Lunch at Villa La Coste and then walking it off at Chateau La Coste was honestly a perfect day.

We chose to stay in Lourmarin as it was a good central location for checking out some other nearby villages. One day, we spent the day visiting Menerbes and Bonnieux. Both towns were incredibly charming, quintessential Provencial villages. Buildings with greenery growing all over, painted shutters, everything you envision when you think of “Provence”. Menerbes is slightly bigger than Bonnieux, but we were able to park and walk all over town in both spots. We went with no real plan other than to pop in and out of shops and sight see. We had lunch at a quaint cafe called Cafe du Progres in Menerbes, and then headed to Bonnieux shortly after. I want to call out wearing comfortable walking shoes again, because walking around Bonnieux was basically up hill the entire time.

 

We spent the following day exploring even more nearby towns! We started bright and early in L’isle-sur-la-Sorgue to catch their market. It’s quite extensive and features antiques (and lots of them)!! Of course, you’ll also find the typical market vendors selling gourmet groceries, baskets, clothing, jewelry, fresh lavender, too. It’s quite busy, but still so lovely and a great spot to treasure hunt. From there, we ventured to Gordes. OMG. This was maybe my favorite of the villages we visited. It’s strikingly beautiful (I mean, they all are, but Gordes is extra special). On the drive in, you see the town perched on a hilltop and it just takes your breath away! Sadly, we missed La Bastide de Gordes being open for the season by a couple days, but if you’re in Gordes, plan lunch, dinner, a drink — (anything!) there. You won’t want to miss the beautiful interiors, and it has me wanting to get back there asap to see it for myself!

I can’t recommend a trip through the Luberon enough. It’s absolutely idyllic and the epitome of charm.