Here, the gentle way of life is incomparable. The history of Provence is engraved in each stone of the fortified village of Cucuron. Its original ramparts still surround the town. The washhouses where the villagers came to collect water to press the olive oil have been perfectly preserved. Local traditions have also remained very strong here, especially with the “May tree procession”. On the first Sunday of May, the village residents cut down a poplar whose branches have reached the bell of the church.
The luminous beauty of Lourmarin, Beaumont de Pertuis nestling in the shelter of the hills, and that of Roussillon that reigns on the ocher quarries, should also be cited. Here on the red earth, rich in iron oxide, visitor can admire the violent beauty of the cliffs and rocks, of whose dust has colored the flamboyant houses in the vicinity.
The quarries were dug out during the 18th century. Today they are abandoned and have left a very strange landscape. This is the case near the village of Val des Fées, or even between Rustrel and Gignac. The legend says that the color of these cliffs are due to the blood of Raymond of Avignon's wife who did not survive the murder of her lover who was assassinated by her jealous husband.
The Luberon also has many castles. Some are only vestiges now, while others have been particularly well preserved. In Ansouis, the Square Donjon of the castle dominates the village. And if one can still see some traces of the feudal period, it is the classic spirit that dominates here, with its shady terraces, and its 17th century buildings.
The ruins of Lacoste castle where the Marquis de Sade lived and the 11th century Oppède-le-Vieux castle that has been classified as an historical monument should also be cited. Lourmarin castle, that used to be the meeting place of scholars, is today a place of residence for artists and writers. Albert Camus used to live here and is buried here.
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