The Luberon Regional Nature Park is part of the Federation of Regional Nature Parks of France. It stretches from east to west between the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and the Vaucluse, and encompasses three ‘mountain ranges’: the Luberon Oriental, the Grand Luberon and the Petit Luberon. It is home to a remarkably diverse range of flora and fauna, as well as architectural and landscape heritage of outstanding value. The Luberon Regional Nature Park is also a vibrant region, home to 174,500 inhabitants living across 77 communes, including the four towns of Apt, Cavaillon, Manosque and Pertuis. Since 1997, the essential role of the Luberon in maintaining the region’s ecological balance and the international heritage value of this area have been officially recognised by UNESCO. The charter of the Regional Nature Park is the sustainable development project created for the Luberon, a contract signed by the relevant local authorities following extensive consultation between elected officials, key stakeholders, public bodies and the wider community.
The territory of the Nature Park
It is made up of the towns and villages that have approved the Park charter and joined the joint management association. There are 77 of them, encompassing towns in both North and South Luberon, as well as the Calavon valley and the southern part of the Vaucluse mountains, such as Gordes, Joucas, Roussillon or Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt, along with the areas surrounding Manosque and Forcalquier in the Alpes de Haute-Provence. The main towns are: Cavaillon, Apt, Manosque, Pertuis and Forcalquier.
The South Luberon towns that have signed up to the park charter
14 out of 16 towns are members of the PNRL; these are: Ansouis, La Bastide-des-Jourdans, La Bastidonne, Beaumont-de-Pertuis, Cabrières-d’Aigues, Cadenet, Cucuron, Grambois, Mirabeau, Peypin-d’Aigues, Saint-Martin-de-la-Brasque, Sannes, La Tour-d’Aigues and Villelaure.
International recognition
In December 1997, the Luberon was officially admitted by UNESCO to the worldwide network of Biosphere Reserves (MAB), with the Luberon Regional Nature Park as its coordinating body. The Biosphere Reserve covers a larger area than the Regional Nature Park; indeed, it includes all the municipalities belonging to ‘Haute-Provence – Pays de Banon’ and ‘Pays de Forqualquier – Montagne de Lure’, as well as the municipality of Pertuis, along the Durance River, filling in the gaps in the park’s perimeter. In total, 99 towns are included in the Biosphere Reserve. In 2004, the Luberon Regional Nature Park was admitted to the Global Geoparks Network supported by UNESCO.
Discover more about the Sud Luberon
Would you like to learn more about the Sud Luberon? Be sure to browse our dedicated pages on the villages and tourism in Provence. The region is full of great places to visit and stunning landscapes. The Regional Natural Park is much more than a protected park; it is also an essential place of life and sharing in Provence.
