Scooting around in The Luberon, Provence

The Luberon, a rural area of Provence 70 kilometers north of Marseille, is a place much touted by all the guidebooks.  We had decided to based ourselves in Apt, because it is transport hub and the administrative center.  For once our timing was good, the summer bus schedule only started the week before.

Day 1: Bus from Marseilles to Aix to Apt,  walked to Saignon.
Day 2: Saturday market in Apt.  Bus #17 to Rousillon, walk to Lioux, back to Rousillon, bus back to Apt
Day 3: Bus #17 to Gordes, walk to Veroncle Gorge, walk through most of the gorge, short of Murs, walk back to Gordes to catch bus.
Day 4: Bus #18 to Oppede, walk to Oppede la Vieux, up the Petit Luberon, down to Menerbes to catch bus #18 back.

For baggers of hilltop towns, all the villages we visited or bused through are underwhelming.  There are restoration projects everywhere, though their former glories mostly elude me.  On the other hand, there were a few highlights.

* The Apt weekly Saturday market is very authentic.  Almost all the vendors were small and operated from tables.  Quoting John -- they sold things people actually need -- i.e. a lot food, in different stages of preparedness or unpreparedness, at all price points.  There was minimal junk, new or old.  There was a lady that sold only hair accessories and one or two sold bolts of fabrics -- we have only previously seen in developing countries.
* The Veroncle Gorge is very scenic and super fun with ladders and chains.
* Contrary to popular belief, we were able to get around on buses.  Though the buses are not so frequent for village hopping, hey served us well for walking.  Four out of the six rides, we were the only passengers, considering the new schedule just started a week ago, we hope they have more business later in the season. TIP: The regional bus company transVaucluse even has an excellent free pamphlet in French and English (and pdf) on how to visit the area "without a car".
* Every path/road we walked on seemed to be labeled, and fit in some larger scheme of network of trail for walking/biking.

Views from the bus from Aix to Apt with another friendly bus driver who spoke some English. Mont Ventoux is visible in the second photo.




After getting settled in Apt, Sun-Ling led us up to Saignon "just to get some excersie". Great views from Saignon.


And the usual Table d'orientation.


View from the Saignon viewpoint back to the village.


Spring in Saignon. Is there anything as lovely as a purple flower?


The Carpentras weekly market. Cozy.


One day we rode the bus to Roussillon, a pink/red village touted by all the guidebooks, then walked NORTH through the vineyards to Lioux with its tremendous overhanging rock cliff.




The last half of the walk featured a seemingly never ending uphill stretch of loose gravel which in fact was only about 600 meters in length.


Then the downhill into Lioux is like walking on air. Lioux has a church, a small parking lot, a fountain, and 5 or 6 residences.










We would have probably missed the ancient Roman bridge, the Pont Julien, 5 kms north of Bonnieux; however, a friendly bus driver drove out of his way a few hundred meters to show us - we were the only passengers.


One day we rode the bus to Gordes. Another friendly bus driver dropped us off at the prefered viewpoint, instead of in city center. Gordes is best viewed from afar, there's nothing much to see or do in the town itself.




So we walked straight through town and headed a few kilometers east to walk up the creek bed of the Véroncle Gorge and its series of water mills.


We had to squeeze through a couple of tight spots.




Climb up a few ladders.




And sorta rappel down a few rock faces.


It was loads of fun and excitement following the stream bed up, and seeing the water mills.






Plenty of good signage for this walk.


Once out of the gorge, there were great views as we headed back to Gordes to catch the bus.






And a glimpse of the rock cliffs above Lioux where we hiked the day before.


Oh, there's a castle in Gordes (and a red Ferrari).


And one last excellent view of Gordes as the sun shines from the west.


Our final full day we first rode the bus to Oppede and walked up to the old town perched on the hill.


Then headed up, up, up the Petit Luberon for a ridge walk in the Reserve Biologique with views down to the Old Oppede.


I think Mont Ventoux is in this photo, but it was a very hazy day.


There was a cozy refugio (hiker's hut) as we reached the ridge.




We did not expect this pine forest at the top. Nice!


Or these leisure cyclists.


The path down to Menerbes was steep and rocky.






Menerbes was quiet, with some good views to the valley.




And bonus; we rode the summer sightseeing bus back to Apt.