A GUIDE TO BONNIEUX: WHAT TO DO AND SEE

Bonnieux divides naturally into two. The lower village is where most life happens — cafés, boutiques, the weekly market, the new church built in 1870. The upper village is older, quieter and steeper, reached by stone staircases that climb through arched passageways and past Renaissance façades. At the top stands the Vieille Église, a Romanesque church that has not held a service in over a century and a half but offers, from its cedar-shaded terrace, a panorama that stretches across the Luberon valley to Mont Ventoux on a clear day.

The walk from bottom to top takes around 20 minutes. Go slowly. The village rewards it.

Six kilometres north of the village, on the road towards Apt, Pont Julien is one of the best-preserved Roman bridges in France. Built around 3 BC as part of the Via Domitia — the road that connected Spain to Italy — its three limestone arches span the Calavon river with a precision that needed no revision for over 2,000 years. Vehicles crossed it until 2005, when a new road was built nearby to protect the structure. A plaque marks the occasion: "We do not know who was the first person to cross, but an Irishman was the last."

Today it belongs to walkers and cyclists. Free to visit, always open. Worth the short detour.

Directly across the valley from Bonnieux, Lacoste is the village you have been watching from above. The ruined château at its summit belonged, in the 18th century, to the Marquis de Sade, who retreated here repeatedly between scandals, eventually installing a private theatre that seated 80. The château was bought in 2001 by Pierre Cardin, who restored part of it and hosted a summer arts festival in its ancient quarries. The views from the ruins back towards Bonnieux are reason enough to make the short drive.

For those who want to sleep inside the village, Bonnieux has a small selection of chambres d'hôtes and rental houses tucked into its stone lanes. For something more considered, Capelongue sits above the village in the Luberon hills — a 5-star hotel in Provence with views across the valley, an exceptional kitchen garden, and the kind of stillness that makes it difficult to leave.

Lourmarin is a good base for exploring the countryside on foot or by bike. The trails of the Grand Luberon start almost from the village edge, winding through garrigue, dry-stone walls and cypress alleys before opening onto views that stretch to the Alps on clear days. For something more demanding, the Buoux site — about 15 kilometres east — is one of the most celebrated climbing spots in France, its limestone cliffs drawing enthusiasts from across Europe. Those who prefer two wheels will find quiet roads through the vineyards connecting Lourmarin to Cucuron, Ansouis and Cadenet with little traffic.

On Friday mornings from April to June and September to October, a guided market itinerary winds through the Lourmarin stalls with a focus on the best local producers — a good way to learn whose olive oil, whose cheese and whose honey is worth taking home. Later in the morning, the Château La Verrerie wine truck parks near the village square, offering tastings of estate wines alongside provisions from the local épicerie.