Provence: Lourmarin, France
I spent a day visiting and exploring some of the many beautiful villages in the Luberon region, known for the numerous medieval hilltop villages as well as it’s olive groves, lavender fields, almond trees, and vineyards. The Luberon became even more popular because of the book 'A Year in Provence' by author, Peter Mayle which is set in this region. I’ve not read it, but it did come highly recommended.
I decided to join a max 8 people day tour of the region since I didn’t have a car and I knew that would be the best way to maximize seeing the region. The adventure started with a visit to Lourmarin, not the typical perched hill-top village, yet it is officially on the list as one of “The Most Beautiful Villages in France.” It is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. Its inhabitants are called Lourmarinois. Like most Provence villages, there is an abundance of beautiful cafes and restaurants, colorful boutiques, art galleries, markets, all connected by cobble stone streets…it’s lovely!
The Chateau de Lourmarin is the first thing you see when you drive up sitting on the edge of the village of the same name. This layout with the castle outside the village is quite unusual: in almost every village you visit in Luberon you will find the castle (or ruins of a castle) at the center of the village, with the village having developed around the castle. The chateau is said to be the first renaissance style castle to be built in Provence. The original castle here was built in the 15th century by Foulques d'Agoult, on the site of a medieval castle that had stood here since the 12th century.
Lourmarin's most famous resident was Albert Camus, the Nobel prize-winning author whose L'Etranger (The Stranger) is considered one of the great novels of the 20th century. It opens memorably: "Aujourd'hui, maman est morte. Ou peut-être hier, je ne sais pas."/ "Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday, I'm not sure." Camus hated driving and said he couldn't imagine a death more meaningless than dying in a car crash. He tragically died in a car accident, on the way from Lourmarin to Paris, in 1960. He was 46. He is buried in Lourmarin cemetery and has a street in Lourmarin named after him.
I just wandered the streets taking pictures of some of my favorite store fronts and shops. I met the owner/artist of the shop with the mannequins out front, Jean-Francois Savornin, who’s art is on all of his merchandise. A very talented artist to be sure, his shop was absolutely beautiful.
