The Regional Park of the Luberon is in France, in the Provence Alps Côte d’Azur (PACA) region, in the departments of Vaucluse (84) and Alpes de Haute Provence (04).
The Luberon is a mountain in Provence which lies between Cavaillon and Manosque, with a peak at 1,125 meters, "The Mourre Nègre", covering 185,000 hectares with a population of 170,000 inhabitants.
The Regional Natural Park of the Luberon was created in 1977.
The present territory of the Park has 77 cities, members and signatories of the charter of the Regional Natural Park of the Luberon.
In the Vaucluse (84) :
Ansouis, Apt, La Bastide-des-Jourdans, La Bastidonne, Les Beaumettes, Beaumont-de-Pertuis, Bonnieux, Buoux, Cabrières-d'Aigues, Cadenet, Caseneuve, Cavaillon, Cheval-Blanc, Cucuron, Gargas, Gordes, Goult, Grambois, Joucas, Lacoste, Lagarde-d'Apt, Lagnes, Lauris, Lourmarin, Maubec, Ménerbes, Mérindol, Mirabeau, Murs, Oppède, Pertuis, Peypin-d'Aigues, Puget-sur-Durance, Puyvert, Robion, Roussillon, Rustrel, Saignon, Saint-Martin-de-Castillon, Saint-Martin-de-la-Brasque, Saint-Pantaléon, Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt, Sannes, Les Taillades, La Tour-d'Aigues, Vaugines, Viens, Villars, Villelaure et Vitrolles.
In the Alpes de Haute Provence (04) :
Aubenas-les-Alpes, Céreste, Dauphin, Manosque, Montfuron, Montjustin, Oppédette, Pierrevert, Reillanne, Revestdes-Brousses, Saint-Maime, Saint-Martin-les-Eaux, Saint-Michel-l'Observatoire, Sainte-Tulle, Vachères, Villemus,Villeneuve et Volx.
These splendid villages of the Luberon, unique and endearing, date largely from the Middle Ages. They are often built on the hills and some boast fortified or embedded castles and churches. Cobblestone streets, ruins, and battlements turn those villages into living pieces of art.
The most famous villages of the Luberon are Bonnieux, Roussillon, Ménerbes, Lourmarin and Gordes.
Other Villages, less well-known such as Lacoste, Buoux, or Oppède le Vieux are truly worth visiting.
The most famous one are: quarry ochres of Roussillon, The Provencal Colorado Provençal in Rustrel which is the largest and most spectacular ochre site in the Luberon.
These ochre sands are the result of the deterioration in situ of a sedimentary rock, green sand glauconitic of middle and late Cretaceous.
Since the last 18th century, the exploitation of ocher provides this unique variety of colors in natural pigments around the world.
The Buoux cliffs: They are located in the Combe valley of Lourmarin. This site is world famous for climbing.
The Lioux cliffs: an extraordinary rocky ridge of grey limestone some 700 meters long and 100 meters high.
The richness and beauty of the architectural heritage of the Luberon is mainly thanks to our ancestors who used dry stone, limestone, for construction:
The aristocratic country house. The garrets, the rural chapels, fortified castles and mills.
These dry stones made the worldwide reputation of one of the most beautiful villages in France, Gordes, known for its “unique village of Bories” which are small dry stone houses dating from the Neolithic time.
Called in Provencal "restanques" or "bancaus" are primarily located in a vast amphitheater, facing South and protected from the Mistral wind.
These terraces have been used in particular for growing olive and fruit trees.
That are now strong elements of the identity of the landscapes and villages: The castle of Lourmarin, the castle of La Tour-d’Aigues, and the castle of Ansouis.
With 28 fossil sites, in 20 cities. It regulates the excavation and highlights some sites through educational activities and public awareness.
Which traces its history from its Celto-Ligurian origins.
Allows you to discover the geology and paleontology of the Luberon over 130 million years.
Property of the Regional Natural Park of the Luberon, the historical castle of Buoux aims to research and develop projects on culture themes.
Educational trails were also established. The main ones are:
A walk has been designed with 8 information stations with typical plant species of the Luberon, as well as points of view on this wild landscape. Departure: reception area of the cedar forest, above Bonnieux. Duration: 2 hours depending on level.
a trail through a stunning site, “the ocher cliffs”, has a dozen points of information on geology, vegetation, and the use of ochres. Departure: In front of the cemetery. Duration: 1.5 hours depending on level.
