Page 173 - Cork & Tee Sample Program Flipbook, 2018

Day 2 – Tuesday, June 12: The Luberon with Claire. Meet Claire, one of our handpicked
Provence driver/guides, at Crillon le Brave. Together, you’ll proceed an hour to the Luberon for
a day of touring. We’ll be sure to avoid hilltop village you might have visited during your last
time in the region. Some favorite villages include the following:

• Lacoste: The attractive village is dominated by the old chateau that once was owned by
the eccentric Marquis de Sade and now is owned by Pierre Cardin (he’s invested $30
million, but the locals aren’t too happy). The village also is known for its summer arts
festival and the School of the Arts that is located there and operated by Savannah College
of Art and Design. The medieval architecture of the village has changed little over time,
and the view from the castle ruins over the valleys of the Vaucluse is special. The street
leading up to the
castle is quite
charming, too. The
Marquis de Sade
escaped from his
transgressions to the
family chateau
located here in 1771.
He spent lavishly on
remodeling the
chateau and installed
a private theater that
could seat 80. He
was passionate about landscaping and created a labyrinth of evergreens copied from the
black and white motif of the floor in the Chartres Cathedral at the northern end of the
estate. At times, the castle hosts art exhibitions.

• Menerbes: One of the most beautiful of the “perched villages” of France, Menerbes is
located atop a ridge and has been occupied since prehistoric times. You might walk up
th
along the streets that climb toward the small, 12 -century church at the higher end of the
village. Typical of the ancient Luberon villages, you will find narrow streets passing
carefully-restored medieval houses as you climb the hill. The views both north and south
are sensational. Popular with artists, the village is also where British author Peter Mayle
lived while writing his Year in Provence books. Much restoration has taken place in the
village since the publication of those books. Of all things, there is a corkscrew museum
th
just below the town, and the Abbey of Saint Hilaire, a 13 -century Benedictine
abbey/wine estate, two miles away, is available for a visit.

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