Issue No.26

Lovely Lourmarin
Unlike many of Provence’s lovely villages,
Lourmarin isn’t atop a hill but instead the
oldest part of the village sits on a mound,
where you’ll see remains of an 11th century
watchtower which is easy to reach.
Lourmarin sits at the foot of the Luberon
Mountain chain. When you take a picture of
the village you’ll see the Luberon clearly
filling the foreground of your photo. The
passage over the mountain starts in
Lourmarin then winds through a geological
crack forming the “Little Luberon” and
“Large Luberon”. This gorge has long been a
crossing place and used to be considered the
most dangerous passage in Provence. Trade
to and from Marseille passed this way and
the natural caves along the route were a
great hiding place for bandits.
way it is laid out with so much space and
light between the historical treasures. The
village, Renaissance castle, and the early
19th century Protestant Temple are
separated from each other by a prairie,
private gardens, olive groves and a soccer
field. Taking a stroll in Lourmarin reveals a
perfect blend of nature, monuments, open
spaces, and charming little boutiques.
Many have loved its charms – French writer
Albert Camus bought a house here 1958
after winning the Nobel Prize for literature
(1957 - The Plague). He didn’t care for
celebrity life in Paris and found the tranquil
lifestyle he craved in Lourmarin. Peter Mayle,
author of many books on Provence including
“ A Year in Provence” (1989), also had a
home here.
What I love most about Lourmarin is the