Lauren & Phillip

The Luberon is one of the most authentic and beautiful areas in Provence, known for its rolling hills, beautiful weather, delicious wine and lavender fields. Situated inland, about an hour from the coast, the Luberon is technically a national park home to many charming towns.

General Tips

To fully take advantage of the Luberon area, a car will be key. Book early for an automatic car if you need one. Uber is not common in the area, and Lyft is inexistent. Car services or taxis are available but more expensive and might not be immediately available. Cash might also be needed to pay for taxis or car services. If you want to pay by card, check in advance. Roads wind through the mountains and can have switchbacks.

Traveling to Town

There are a number of ways to arrive depending on which airport or train station you arrive into:

1) Arriving from Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport: From Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) you can take a high-speed train (called TGV) directly from the Paris airport train station to Avignon, France (3 hours). At Avignon train station, there is a wide selection of rental car companies (Hertz, National, Europcar, etc.) with employees who speak English very well. From Avignon train station to Lourmarin is about an hour-long drive on well-marked and easy to navigate roads. 

(2) Arriving from Paris (city center) via Avignon Train Station or Aix-en-Provence Train Station: From Paris (or other European city center), you can take a high-speed train to Avignon Train Station or Aix-en-Provence Train Station. The train to either station is about 3 hours from Paris. You'll see rolling hills, sheep, horses, cows, old windmills and pretty towns (along with some less charming views too).

You can easily rent a car at either train station. The drive from the Avignon train station to Lourmarin is about an hour. The drive from Aix-en-Provence train station to Lourmarin is around 45 minutes. We personally always take the train to Avignon and drive from there - the drive is easy.

(3) Arriving from Marseille Airport: From Marseille Airport, it is about a one hour drive to Lourmarin. There is a wide selection of rental car companies (Hertz, National, Europcar, etc.) with employees who speak English very well.

(4) Arriving from Nice Airport: From Nice Airport, it is just under a 2.5 hour drive to Lourmarin. There is a wide selection of rental car companies (Hertz, Avis, Enterprise) available at the airport. 

The best way to enjoy the Luberon is by visiting the local towns! A few of our favorites include:

*Lourmarin: Our wedding base! Lourmarin is a small and beautiful village. A renaissance/medieval castle is one of the main attractions, with a view over the village and valley.

Bonnieux: One of our favorites, Bonnieux is a perched village whose beautiful views make the visit worthwhile. Looking across the whole valley, a thick cedar forest and the neighboring perched villages such as Lacoste, Gordes and Rousillon, this village has a great market (the sundried tomatoes and wild boar sausage are incredible). Alternatively, the town is often used as a base for cyclists that want to rent a bicycle (electric or regular) to explore the neighboring towns. If you feel like exploring by bike, head to the Sun-E-Bike store and rent an electric bike which will power up in hills and help you with the effort. Of course, if you're more experienced, normal bikes are available too but this is not for the faint of heart. They provide maps, directions, equipment and they have locations in nearby towns for returns or assistance. www.location-velo-provence.com/en/

Lacoste: This is the first town that Phillip & Lauren visited together! Lacoste is a small perched village with nice pedestrian walkways and an interesting arts scene favored by tourists who visit the former residence of the Marquis de Sade and the patronage of Pierre Cardin who holds a residence there.

Menerbes: This picturesque village has many restaurant options and is a great spot to just enjoy the markets and life of a typical Provencal town.

Roussillon: One of the most beautiful Provencal perched villages, Roussillon is different from the rest as it is built into the mountain where the colors are a combination of ochre, crimson, orange and gold (almost like the Grand Canyon). The town sits high up and has amazing views of both the Luberon valley and the colorful mountains nearby. The typical Provencal architecture, streets and pedestrian alleys are usually photographed here. For the shoppers, there are lots of local, high-quality options for great souvenirs here.

Gordes: This is one of the most famous perched villages in the region, situated on top of a mountain with cliffs around it. Gordes offers multiple quality restaurants (Michelin starred, even!) and café options with views of the valley. Close by, the famous Senanque Abbey and its lavender fields can be found, often depicted in many of the typical local pictures. Of note, September won't be lavender season but the Abbey can still be lovely to visit for a quick visit.

Visiting these towns is best captured without rushing or on a rigid itinerary so you can absorb the essence of this region. Enjoying the slow-paced towns, views, food, wine and local people is worth the pause. Don’t worry about making too many restaurant reservations as abundant options are never too far, though we do recommend looking for a terrace when possible!

A very picturesque and interesting experience is visiting the towns on market days. Each town has a specific day where the farmers market of the area sets up shop with amazing produce and as well as arts and crafts. Search online for the schedule and make sure to be there early as they close down at 12:30 PM - everyone places high importance on lunchtime and a peaceful afternoon, and you probably should too!

The French culture is particularly easy to enjoy because it's all about enjoying life - "joie de vivre"! 

Life here revolves around food. Breakfast is often bread, toast, croissants, quiches or a combinations of the four! For example, if you're Phillip, it's two croissants and a quiche. Bacon or eggs are often not on the menu at breakfast but can be found in specific locations - if that's what you're after, check ahead. 

Lunch is typically around 1230 and is often the biggest meal of the day. There are lots of options that can be as light as a salad or omelette, or as heavy as a multi-course meal. 

Before dinner is an apèro, a moment to have a small snack (try a planche with meats and/or cheeses) and a drink to get your appetite revving. Apèro can last an hour or a few hours, depending on how festive you're feeling.

Dinner is typically around 8pm (though in the south of France, it can be slightly earlier).  When eating out, it is common to have a starter ("une entrée"), a main dish ("un plat") and a dessert (same word). Please note that "une entrée" in France is a starter and not a main dish, as it's referred to in the US! 

Meals are meant to be long and luxurious, so it's common for service to be slow. For example, the waitstaff may let you sit in a restaurant for an hour after you've finished your meal without giving you the check. Patience and using your French skills (even if it's just to say "s'il vous plait" to get the attention of the waiter) will help here.

A quick word on French style: The French dress a lot like the Americans/Brits with a few exceptions! If you want to blend in, we'd recommend avoiding sports jerseys, sweatpants or athleisure - most French people don't wear those unless they're about to play or watch a sport. Nice sneakers, however, are worn all the time and almost anywhere (except nicer meals and our wedding).

Lastly, while most places take credit cards, some do not. Plan to have some euros on you just in case for local boulangeries or taxis.

If you've never been to France before, we wanted to share some quick tips to get accustomed to the French language! There's no need to be fluent in French to get around - most people will speak English. That said, to be polite, using a little French initially will get you a long way.

Start any conversation with "bonjour" (or "bonsoir" if the sun has gone down). To quickly switch to English, feel free to ask if the person speaks English ("parlez-vous anglais?").

Other key phrases include please ("s'il vous plaît"), thank you ("merci"), excuse me ("excusez-moi" or "pardon"), goodbye ("au revoir"), can I get the check ("l'addition, s'il vous plaît") and I would like to buy the bride a drink ("une coupe de champagne pour la marieé, s'il vous plaît").

Any time you enter a place of business (a shop, restaurant, hotel, etc.), be sure to say "bonjour" or "bonsoir." Every time you leave, say "merci." This is common practice and a sign of respect.

Americans (Lauren especially) talk loudly but this is frowned upon. Try not to shout in public and to keep your voice a little lower than usual in restaurants or cafés. Don't worry, you can shout all you want when we're on the dance floor at our wedding.

Any questions about the French language or culture? Don't hesitate to ask the bride and groom! After a combined 12 years in Paris, they've got this down to a science. Lauren's parents are equally a great resource.