Provençal village
Lourmarin
One of the most beautiful villages in France.
Lourmarin proudly bears its title of one of the "Most Beautiful Villages of France". Nestled where the Luberon opens out, this Provençal village combines Renaissance heritage with a vibrant cultural life, between art galleries, craft workshops and fine tables.
The Château de Lourmarin, the first Renaissance château in Provence, is open all year round. Its inner courtyards, monumental fireplaces and library make it one of the most moving monuments in the region.
Albert Camus spent his final years in Lourmarin. His grave, in the village cemetery, is a discreet and contemplative place of literary pilgrimage. The village bookshop keeps this memory alive with a carefully chosen selection of the Nobel laureate’s work.
The Friday morning market is one of the most renowned in Provence — market gardeners, cheesemakers, honey producers and artisans gather every week in a colourful, convivial atmosphere.
Renaissance château
The first Renaissance château in Provence
Art & gastronomy
Galleries, fine tables and a Provençal market
Camus heritage
In the footsteps of the Nobel laureate in literature
Discover
TO SEE
Le Château de Lourmarin
Facing the village, the Château de Lourmarin is held to be the first Renaissance château built in Provence. It reads in two parts: a medieval section, raised from the end of the 15th century, and a Renaissance wing begun in 1526. Inside, an Italian-style loggia, a remarkable spiral staircase and rooms furnished from the 15th to the 19th centuries tell five centuries of history. Saved from ruin and restored in the 1920s by Robert Laurent-Vibert, it is now open all year round. From its tower, the view takes in the village and the hills of the Luberon.
A listed village
Lourmarin ranks among the Most Beautiful Villages of France, and it shows from the very first lanes. You wander between cobblestones and houses of golden stone, from square to fountain. The belfry, nicknamed “la Boîte à Sel” (the salt box), has watched over the village since the 17th century. Further on, the Romanesque church and the Protestant temple recall a turbulent religious history. On every street corner, a shaded terrace, a boutique, a scent of Provence.
Experience
TO DO
In the footsteps of Albert Camus
It was here that Albert Camus chose to live, charmed by the village his friend Henri Bosco had introduced him to. The writer bought a house in the street that now bears his name. He rests in the village cemetery, beneath a simple stone engraved with nothing but his name and dates. Henri Bosco is buried a few steps away. Every autumn, the village celebrates the author with literary gatherings devoted to him.
Browsing the Friday market
On Friday mornings, Lourmarin comes alive around one of the finest markets in the Luberon. The stalls overflow with local produce: olive oil, cheeses, sun-ripened fruit. This is the place to taste the gibassier, a Provençal sweet bread scented with orange blossom. The lanes fill up, the terraces are full, the mood is joyful. Best to arrive early: the market draws visitors from well beyond the village.
Exploring the Luberon
Lourmarin opens onto the Combe de Lourmarin, the gorge that cuts through the massif between the Petit and Grand Luberon. The road winds between cliffs and forests towards the neighbouring hilltop villages. All around, vines, olive and almond trees compose a picture-postcard Provençal landscape. Trails and tracks invite you to walk or cycle at your own pace. It is the perfect base from which to explore the southern Luberon.