The Luberon

The massif of Luberon emerges in the middle of plains; placed between the Alps and the Mediterranean Sea, it is a secret paradise in the heart of Provence.

The Aiguebrun is the only river which flows along the mountain range, deeply digging the plateau of Claparèdes; thanks to the coomb of Lourmarin the later allows to distinguish, in the East, the big Luberon and in the West the small Luberon, two very different entities regarding the relief. The Luberon enjoys a climate which is Mediterranean and a mountain climate at the same time, which makes it a fresh country with a warm sun (" 300 days of sunshine / year).

Winters are relatively mild, interrupted with lively cold periods. The brief rain falls in Autumn and in Spring are very fast chased away by the Mistral wind which weakens as it crosses the Rhône river, which allows the Luberon to enjoy its blue sky and its sensational luminosity. The Luberon also means these villages perched on their rocky headland: Bonnieux, Lacoste, Menerbes, Lourmarin, Ansouis,  La Tour d’Aigues, Cucuron, every one being rich of a cultural past and a history full of events.

It is right in the heart of Provence. This site is absolutely beautiful thanks to the multiplicity of its landscapes: mountain, valley, large plains with fields of lavender, vineyards, poppies...
In the heart of villages, you can discover authentic vertical alleys full of charm, lined with centuries’old dry stones, dressed with flowers.
se trouve en plein cœur de la Provence.

The natural reserve of the Luberon

The regional natural reserve of the Luberon is a natural reserve, a low mountain range (1125 m at Mourre Nègre) which lies from East to West between the Alpes de Haute-Provence and Vaucluse and which includes three "mountains": oriental Luberon, Grand Luberon and Small Luberon. It shelters a fauna and a flora of an exceptional diversity as well as a valuable architectural and landscaped heritage. Click the logo to reach the official site of the Luberon Park.


In December, 1997, the Luberon was officially admitted by the UNESCO (United Nations Organization for education, science and culture) in the world network of reserves of biosphere (MAB). In 2004, the regional natural reserve of Luberon was admitted in the network of European geoparks (European Geoparks Network) supported by the UNESCO

The major part of the heights of the mountain range lies in a protected zone where cultures are forbidden. However, on the foothills of the mountain range, you can find fruit trees (mainly almond trees, cherry trees, olive trees) and vineyards. These cultures are very old and the first vineyards in the Luberon are estimated to date back to the setting of Romans in the Luberon in the year 120.

A protected designation of origin (AOC) « Côtes du Luberon » includes many producers. Historically, the breeding of silkworms was very important in the sector of the Luberon but it disappeared. Many buildings, mainly “Mas”, kept tracks of these “magnaneries” (rooms dedicated to the breeding of  silkworms). In the Luberon, honey is also produced (beekeeping) and goats are bred for the manufacturing of cheese.appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) « Côtes du Luberon »

Click here to see the Atlas of the Luberon