Bonnieux
Around this route, you will see a number of medieval hilltop villages including Roussillon, Gordes, Goult, Lacoste and Bonnieux. Approaching Bonnieux from Goult, it reminds one of a birthday cake with layers of red tile roofs circling the old church atop the hill. Follow steps, cobblestone paths and Provençal facades, up past traces of twelfth century ramparts to the heights of the village above the market square at l’Eglise Haute (high church). From there you can view Mont Ventoux north across the Calavon Valley with lavender, vineyards and cherry trees. Close by to the northwest is the village of Lacoste; beyond it are Goult and Gordes. To the south is the Petit Luberon.
Apt
For several centuries, Apt has enjoyed the title of “capitale du fruit confit” (“capital of candied fruit”). Look for Napoleon cherries, apricots, figs, pears bianchetti, clementines and preserved plums plus crystallized exotic fruits such as pineapple from Ivory Coast, oranges from Sicily and citrons from Crete. These fast (not low-cost) calories may be found at several local confectionary shops plus the Saturday and Tuesday morning markets.
Roussillon
A legend says that Sermonde, wife of the Lord of Roussillon, fell in love with Guilhelm of Cabestang, a young troubadour. The jealous lord killed the lover with a dagger and served the lover’s heart to his wife in the form of a well prepared dish. Sermonde found it delicious, but on learning the truth she threw herself from the cliff. From then on, the color of the cliffs was blood red.
Built on top of the old ochre cliff quarries, the village seems almost illusionary for painters and photographers. The mixtures of oxides allow the ochre a broad range of colors, which can be seen in the landscape, on the front of its houses or trompe l’oeil painting on a portal.
Roussillon needs to be seen to appreciate its uniqueness. Observers note seventeen shades of ochre applied across the houses in the village, derived from the palette of the old ochre quarry nearby. Imagine the reds, yellows, oranges and pinks that merge one into the other as you roam the circling streets. Contrast these colors with the green of the pine trees or the Provençal blue sky against the red cliffs.
Gordes
This hilltop village is one of the more famous and expensive in Provence. On the approach and after the last steep bend of a road lined with stone walls, Gordes appears. The fortress castle and church dominate the typical houses welded to the rock. Stone alleyways slip between the high houses with many architectural surprises: vaults, antique doors, fountains, views of the valley and the Luberon.
Gordes was built with stone from the rock on which it sits. Because of its geographical location and its history, Romans to the Middle Ages, the Renaissance to the present day, not to mention the marks left by the Inquisition, Gordes has acquired a specific architecture.
The Château du Gordes existed in 1031, but the original was destroyed and then rebuilt in 1525. The austere architecture of the Middle Ages blends with the new lifestyle of the Renaissance. From the Renaissance, note the impressive chimney of the remarkable Salle d’Honneur (Hall of Honor).
Route map, profile and details of passing interest are in the Bonnieux, Apt & Gordes routeas part of “Provence Luberon & Lavender – a Bicycle Your France guidebook”, May 2011. Dreaming of a cycling vacation/holiday in France? I hope so. Even if you are not planning a trip to France, you may know someone who is, either cycling or motoring. Amazon and iTunes has seven guides of different areas that I crafted.
Provence: Luberon & Lavender: A Bicycle Your France Guidebook – http://www.amazon.com/Provence-Luberon-Lavender-Bicycle-Guidebook/dp/1468096923/
Provence Luberon & Lavender 