The second of three IAU excursions, Le Luberon is a region about 1 1/2 hours north of Aix named after a nearby mountain. The mountain is composed of three ranges: "Petit," "Grand," and "Orient." It's basically the "real" Provence - landscapes that are traditionally associated with the region. And, to be honest, where I thought I was going to be this semester. (Hey, I can't know everything about France, okay? I didn't know what Aix was until I got here!)
We hit up three different towns: Loumarin [LOO-mah-rah], Lacoste [la-COH-ssd], and Roussillon [ROO-see-onh]. Each were provençal traditionnel in their own ways, and pretty tiny.
Loumarin
After leaving Aix at 9AM, we drove to Loumarin where we had the option of going on a little castle "tour" with our guide for the day, Pam. But all of us were still so groggy that we just followed her like ducks in a line - so everyone did the tour!
The château in Loumarin is quite an oldie! Dating back to the 1400s, it was built here to keep watch over the passage through the mountains, rather than built on top of a mountain like most other castles. Part of the château was also built during the Renaissance so, just like La Cathédrale Sainte-Sauvère in Aix, it has different architectural periods built into its veins.
After the château, we walked by an olive tree grove...
a pigeonnier (also called at colombier or édifice; in English, a dovecote)...
and visited Loumarin's cemtière (cemetery) which is done in the traditional Provencal style of gravel and ceramic/ fake flowers.
It is also where Albert Camus, author of The Stranger (or L'Etranger in French). Fun fact: I've read it in both languages! Woo bilingualism!
Loumarin is often regarded as one of the plus beaux villages de France (most beautiful towns!) and its easy to see why. During our short, one hour stay, I saw the most doors, windows, gardens, cafes, and knick-knacks I wanted to take pictures of since Nice! Maybe even before that!
We bought lunch at this little store that totally did not fit all of us! It was a local, old-school place that didn't even have a real cash register - the woman literally did the math on a piece of paper (which would've been our receipt, too, if we'd wanted)!
Me and Princess Anastasia split food for salami-brie-baguette sandwiches and apples. YUM! At first, not understanding the metric system (again), we tried to order a half kilo of brie. Thank goodness the girl who worked there didn't take us seriously because, upon hearing un demi kilo s'il vous plaît, she held up an entire half wedge of cheese and gave us a look like "really?" to which we promptly started protesting oh non, non, non, demi de ça, c'est trop! In the end, we purchased 1/4 kilo of brie for about 3€. Sooo good and soooooo worth it :)
Back on the buses, we headed to Lacoste, a medieval town with literally zero stores. Being a medieval town, we had to endure some sort of torture, right? It came in the form of a very severe glute workout, I kid you not.
Gracias to ski team for getting my thighs in good shape, but seriously, this was a tough climb. Straight up cobblestone streets in not-the-best shoes, to the top of this town, where another castle perched... overlooking an amazing view!
The Calavon Valley rolled out before us as far as the eye could see.
We picnic-lunched next to the castle (on top of some escargots, I might add. No really, I kept moving and heard shells crunching. Sorry little guys!) and, aside from giggling constantly, gawked at how beautiful a place we were in.
Up next: Roussillon.
Once a place for mining the ocre-coloured clay/sand (for pigments, or something) that is found naturally here, it is known as Petit Colorado in Provence, and is a truly beautiful sight.
red rocks, anyone?
one single lavandar flower! (technically the season is over.)
There were tons of vineyards on the drive home, and the setting sun sent the most gorgeous light across the paysage (countryside).
earlier in the day
afternoon sun
stumbled across the once-a-month book market on my way home
My iPod was on my infamous '80s playlist and, after seeing such amazing sights all day plus staring out the window at what can only be described as "not real-life," I was convinced that this was my most favourite day abroad so far :)
xxo, S
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