A Guide to Lourmarin: The Prettiest Village in Provence
lourmarin, France
The Prettiest Village in Provence
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when is the Best time to visit Lourmarin
Spring, Summer, Autumn
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how much time to see lourmarin
Day Trip or Full Days
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Best Things to do in Lourmarin
How to Spend the Day in Lourmarin and What to See and Do in Lourmarin
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Where to eat in lourmarin
The Best Restaurants and Cafes in Lourmarin
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Where to stay in Lourmarin
Our favorite Provencal hotels and Airbnb rentals in Lourmarin
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How to get to lourmarin
Taking the train from Paris and/or renting a car
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lourmarin
The first time I visited Provence in June of 2021, I instantly fell in love. The flowers, the aromas, the villages and the people captured my heart in a way like no place else in the world.
During our first visit to Provence, we had the privilege of staying in the most gorgeous hotel located in the Luberon village of Lourmarin. I knew Lourmarin was something special after strolling through it the very first time, and now, after having seen many-a-village in the Luberon region of Provence, I can declare that Lourmarin is the prettiest of them all.
Truth be told, this title and claim is mostly because I just love Lourmarin. I have yet to visit every beautiful village in Provence (although this seems like a good goal) as there are 873 villages total. However, I have visited Provence every year since 2021 and I can promise that if you find yourself in the region, you don’t want to skip visiting this stunning little village.
Lourmarin itself is small, but what she lacks in size she makes up for in charm and in village activity. It seems that every square inch of the village is full of Provencal life, featuring the most charming French boutiques, antique shops, art galleries, casual restaurants, design-brimming hotels, adorable Airbnb rentals and endless ivy-covered facades.
As you spend time enjoying Lourmarin, you’ll notice an extra special communal charm that isn’t as prevalent in many of the other villages. There is a central street of curbside cafes where both tourists and locals gather at the bistro tables outside and enjoy sitting amongst friend and stranger in this charming setting.
when is the Best time to visit lourmarin
The best time to visit Lourmarin is when the weather is warm, and you can enjoy all that the rich land the region has to offer. The most popular time to visit both Lourmarin and the Provence region is late June or early July when the lavender is in full bloom and the air smells like heaven. This is peak season for the Provence region, resulting in more crowds and expensive accommodations, but the experience is definitely worth it.
Lourmarin in June
Lourmarin in June
If you are ok with missing the lavender, anytime from April-October is good to travel to Lourmarin. In Spring you will be greeted with lovely flowers, in summer (outside of July) you’ll still get the best of all the summer harvest brings (including the smell of jasmine everywhere). Summer is also the best time to find the Provencal stone-colored buildings covered in green ivy.
The region is seasonal, so in the months outside of March-October, shops are likely to be closed and you might have a hard time finding a place to stay. For less crowds I would choose May, June or September. And if you want to see the ivy change from green to orange, trying visiting Lourmarin in October.
Lourmarin in early August
Lourmarin in early August
Nonetheless, we visited Lourmarin once in mid-March and the village was still open and bursting with locals enjoying lunch at the cafes. That being said, not all of the shops were open, and many of the rental properties weren’t yet available to book. A good rule of thumb is that the season in Provence kicks off Easter weekend.
Lourmarin in mid-March
Lourmarin in mid-March
Lourmarin in mid-March
how long to spend in lourmarin
Whether you decide to use Lourmarin as a home base for the rest of your Provencal travels, or are just passing through during the day, you need to allot a certain amount of time to the village.
If you are visiting Lourmarin from another location, I would recommend giving yourself a half or full day to enjoy the village. My recommendation is to visit on a Friday (market day - more on this in the next section) and after the market to grab lunch and then do some of the things to do in the list below.
If you’re staying in a larger city like Aix-en-Provence and don’t have a car, you can book a guided day trip to a handful of Provencal villages, like this one from GetYourGuide that includes a stop in Lourmarin.
If you are planning a Provencal road trip, I would give yourself one to two nights in Lourmarin. By spending the night, you can have the pleasure of waking up and walking through the village while it’s still empty, having a French breakfast at the local cafe and enjoying whatever lodging you end up booking for yourself (my Lourmarin recommendations are at the end of this post).
Things to do in lourmarin
Lourmarin is a very small village, but despite its small size, it has plenty to explore for however long you find yourself there.
Château de Loumarin
Standing on the edge of Lourmarin, you’ll find yourself looking upon the local château, Château de Lourmarin. The chateau was built in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries and according to Lourmarin.com, was the first Renaissance castle in Provence.
The chateau is walking distance from the village and can easily be seen in a few hours. It is also kid-friendly, with a “treasure hunt” available to entertain the littles.
You can find hours and ticket prices here.
Lourmarin Friday Market
If you’re planning to visit or stay in Lourmarin, be sure to find yourself near it on a Friday. Every village in Provence has different market days, and the Friday market in Lourmarin is easily one of our favorite markets in Provence.
The market is decently sized and is brimming with everything Provencal. At the Lourmarin market, you can find cheeses, soaps, lavender, clothes, honey, meats, local fruits and vegetables, straw baskets and hats, Provençal art, jams and jellies, olive oil and salts.
There is an ATM nearby, but I’d recommend having cash already in-hand, as the ATM lines can become very long on market day. Also if you’re driving into Lourmarin for the market, plan to get there before 10AM to find easy parking.
Château Constantin
Throughout Provence are endless vineyards, most of which you can drive up to for a free wine tasting (and then purchase bottles onsite). On the edge of Lourmarin sits one such vineyard, Château Constantin, a family run estate purchased in 2016 and currently working to convert the estate to organic. You can visit Château Constantin from Monday to Saturday – 10am to 1pm and 3pm to 6:30pm.
Bastide du Laval
An 8-minute drive from Lourmarin, Bastide du Laval is a great activity to do while you’re staying in or near the village of Lourmarin. Bastide du Laval is an organic olive-oil mill and farm that you can visit for an olive-oil tasting, mill tour and olive grove tour.
The olive grove tour is self-guided, and offers amazing views of the surrounding valley. We did our tour in the middle of the day in June which was very hot, but earlier in the morning or later in the evening would offer lovely views in an idyllic setting.
On the olive grove walk, I especially loved all of the regional butterflies pollinating the local wildflowers.
where to shop in lourmarin
Lourmarin is lined with charming boutique after charming boutique, and you can spend a few hours wandering through the shops and sharing pleasantries with the boutique owners, as well as purchasing the best French souvenirs to bring home from your travels.
Some of my favorite boutiques in Lourmarin are:
FRANC 1884: For gorgeous lavender spindles
Les Commissions du Moulin: If you’re staying in the area and need provisions for your week, pop in to this cute grocery store associated with hotel Le Moulin Lourmarin.
Villa de Nada: A cute Mediterranean themed interior design store
Le Petit Gris Piedra: An adorable baby goods and clothing store
Les Articles Lourmarin: A newly opened “brocante” / antique store. I purchased three items from here!
Discover the beautiful doors of lourmarin
France is a country of beautiful doors and Lourmarin is no different. As you stroll through the quaint rues of Lourmarin, notice how each and every porte (door) is different from the next. Some of the doors are aged with hundreds of years of time, and other are a blend of old and new. Each is unique. Each is beautiful.
best Day Trips from lourmarin
If you decide to use Lourmarin as your home base in the Luberon region of Provence, you can easily take day trips to many of the famous surrounding villages. Many of the Luberon villages listed below can be bundled as day trips from Loumarin, as they are all pretty close in proximity to one another and the villages themselves are all relatively small.
Day Trips 30-minutes or less from Lourmarin
Lauris: 7-minute drive from Lourmarin
Cucuron: 10-minute drive from Lourmarin
Bonnieux: 20-minute drive from Lourmarin
Apt: 25-minute drive from Lourmarin
Lacoste: 27-minute drive from Lourmarin
Saignon: 27-minute drive from Lourmarin
Roussillon: 31-minute drive from Lourmarin
Day Trips 1-hour or less from Lourmarin
Ménerbes: 32-minute drive from Lourmarin
Gordes: 38-minute drive from Lourmarin
Oppède-le-Vieux: 42-minute drive from Lourmarin
Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque: 46-minute drive from Lourmarin
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue: 47-minute drive from Lourmarin
Valensole (lavender fields): 58-minute drive from Lourmarin
Arles: One-hour drive from Lourmarin
Marseille: One-hour drive from Lourmarin
Where to Eat in lourmarin
Lourmarin is dotted with a number of restaurants if you do plan to use it as your home base or need a bite to eat while passing through. Below are some of the places we’ve tried during our travels there and have enjoyed.
If you book an Airbnb or a place with a kitchen, I recommend buying food (either at the Lourmarin market or driving to a grocery store) in order to save money, as the restaurants in the region can be pricey.
Cafe Gaby Lourmarin: traditional French cafe, good for breakfast, lunch, dinner, a coffee or just enjoying sitting “en terrace”
Pizzeria Nonni: Delicious Italian restaurant in Lourmarin.
Bacheto: The restaurant within hotel, Le Moulin, in a beautiful courtyard setting or interior.
Restaurant l’Ormeau: Located in the center of the village with curbside seating, good for lunch or dinner.
La Recreation: Traditional French food, can order a set menu
Au Panem: A bakery in the heart of Lourmarin selling all of your French baked goods.
Les Commissions, café-épicerie: A part of the Le Moulin hotel, Les Commissions sells coffee, local products, and souvenirs. You can grab a coffee and pastry in the morning and sit in the beautiful little courtyard overlooking the cobblestone streets of Lourmarin.
TWENTIES - Sandwichs & Coffee shop: A more Parisian style coffee shop, located in the center of Lourmarin, but a great stop to grab an affordable sandwich or coffee.
Lourmarin Market Food: Recommend buying local produce, cheese, meats and bread from the market
where to stay in lourmarin
In Provence, you have a few types of of stay options: a château or bastide (normally set off from a village in the countryside), a house in the countryside, or an apartment within the village. All offer different experiences and choosing between them depends on what you wish to get out of your travels.
Every time we’ve visited Provence, we’ve opted to stay in one place as a home base and do day trips from there. I personally think this gives you time to get familiar with whatever location you choose as your home base, enrichening the experience.
The first time we visited Provence, we spent a week at Le Galinier Lourmarin, and the second time we stayed in an Airbnb in Lourmarin. After having done both, I much prefer staying at a property outside of the city or village, as often the grounds are stunning and you can enjoy the spaces of the ancient properties at the end of your day of exploring.
Le Galinier Lourmarin
My favorite hotel in the world - Le Galinier Lourmarin is an 18th century bastide (large house) that has been transformed into a modern-day Provencal getaway. The property consists of the main house (with rooms) and two separate buildings that were once the chicken houses and horse stables that can sleep larger groups. The property is located just off the edge of Lourmarin, and has a pool as well as stunning gardens on site.
Le Moulin Lourmarin
Sister property to Le Galinier, Le Moulin Lourmarin is located in the village of Lourmarin (facing the chateau) and has been recently renovated with bright Provencal interiors. It is a traditional hotel (with no grounds) but a stunning, more affordable option within the village.
If you want to experience staying in one of the cute Provencal buildings in Lourmarin, there are beautiful options to book on Airbnb in the village whether you need a place that sleeps two or a larger group.
la petite maison
During our April visit to Lourmarin, we had the opportunity to stay at the beautiful village house, La Petite Maison. The Airbnb is located in the heart of the village down a charming side street and can sleep three guests (one master bedroom and one twin bed). The twin room is located on a mezzanine and has a beautiful window overlooking the rooftops of Lourmarin.
Other Airbnbs in Lourmarin
La Maison Gris Piedra, le coeur de Lourmarin
A 100 sqm house, old, completely redesigned with precious materials, sleeps 4.
LA SUITE D’AMOUR Lourmarin
A beautiful suite in the heart of Lourmarin that sleeps 5 and has a terrace.
Le Nid d'Albert - Duplex avec vue
A romantic duplex that sleeps two, located on the third and top floor of an old mansion, with views of Lourmarin.
Casa Masté
On the edge of Lourmarin, a small farmhouse that sleeps five guests and has a pool.
How to get to lourmarin
There are no direct trains or flights to Lourmarin. That being the case, the easiest way to access Lourmarin is by car, or on a tour of the Luberon villages if you’re staying in a larger city like Avignon or Aix-en-Provence.
how to get to lourmarin From Paris
From Paris, you can either take the train or make the 7-hour drive from Paris to Lourmarin. If you’re just getting off of your overnight flight, we don’t recommend making the drive from Paris unless you plan to stop in other French destinations along the way.
To access Lourmarin from Paris by train, you will need to first take the train to one of the destinations below and then either rent a car from one of those train stations, or book a guided tour like these if without a car.
Aix en Provence (TGV): This is the easiest train station for accessing Lourmarin. The train station is a 20-minute drive outside of Aix en Provence and is a 46-minute drive from the train station to Lourmarin. This is the option we always choose when visiting Lourmarin from Paris.
The direct train from Paris takes three hours. Book your tickets from Paris to Aix en Provence.
Avignon: The Avignon train station is normally one stop prior to the Aix en Provence train station, and is another good option to access Lourmarin from Paris. From my research it’s always been slightly cheaper to book to Aix en Provence vs. Avignon and it’s a slightly longer, over one-hour drive to Lourmarin from the Avignon TGV train station.
The direct train from Paris takes a little less than three hours. Book your tickets from Paris to Avignon.
other ways to access Lourmarin
If Lourmarin is part of a larger South of France itinerary, you can access the region by flying into either of the airports listed below and then renting a car from there.
Marseille (MRS): Marseille Provence Airport is a short 1-hr drive from Lourmarin. The drawback of this option is that there aren’t direct flights from the US to Marseille, so you would need to connect in CDG (Paris).
Nice (NCE): Nice Côte d'Azur Airport the farthest from Lourmarin with an over 2-hour drive, however, if you’re planning to visit both the French Riviera and Provence during your travels, it is the perfect access point to the region.
anticipating your trip to lourmarin
If you’re currently planning a trip to Provence or Lourmarin, or have already booked your travels and are looking for ways to anticipate your trip even more, then below are some books to purchase in advance of your trip, to make the leadup even more exciting! I love buying books about the places we have upcoming travels for as it inspires me and enriches the entire experience.
Planning for Provence
We love Provence! If you’re planning a trip to Provence, you can find all of our resources for the region in this South of France section of our website.
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Heading to Provence and looking to discover the most beautiful villages in the region? Discover the most charming and breathtaking villages to visit during your Provence travels in this curated list.