The Luberon Massif at the heart of the South Region

Locating and Understanding the Massif

The Luberon Massif is a Pre-Alpine mountain range located in the south of France, straddling the departments of Vaucluse and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence in the South Region, 70 kilometres north of Marseille. It stretches 60 kilometres from east to west, with an average width of 5 kilometres. It is bordered by the Calavon River and the Vaucluse Mountains to the north, and by the Durance River to the south.

Four towns have developed around it: Apt to the north, Cavaillon to the west, Pertuis to the south and Manosque to the east. The massif comprises several “mountains”, the main ones being the Grand Luberon and the Petit Luberon.

Location

The Aiguebrun River, which crosses the massif from north to south, separates the Petit Luberon from the Grand Luberon. Over time, it has carved out a valley known as the Combe de Lourmarin.

The Grand Luberon, whose highest point is Mourre Nègre at 1,125 metres, is the main part of the massif in terms of both size and length and width. It lies east of the Combe de Lourmarin, south of Apt, a sub-prefecture of Vaucluse, and the Vaucluse Mountains, and west and north of the Durance riverbed, which runs along the entire massif from east to west, starting from Manosque, descending towards Pertuis and rising again towards Cavaillon.

The Petit Luberon corresponds to the triangle formed by Cavaillon, Apt and Lourmarin, south of the Calavon Valley, which separates it from the Vaucluse Mountains. This triangle, located in the western part of the massif beyond the Combe de Lourmarin, starts at an altitude of 110 metres and reaches a height of 727 metres.

Geology

On the geological time scale, the Luberon is composed of rocks dating from the end of the Secondary Era (which spans from 252.2 to 66.0 million years ago, a period during which many species of mammals and dinosaurs emerged) up to the middle of the Tertiary Era (covering the interval from 66 to 2.58 million years ago). The mountain massif is composed of secondary terrain (Lower Cretaceous), while the surrounding plain is mainly tertiary. For this reason, the region is renowned for its wealth of fossils dating from the end of the Mesozoic era. Thus, the palaeontological site of Oppedette is what is known as a ‘lagerstätte’, a deposit renowned for its exceptional preservation, with an abundance and remarkable diversity of fossils.

Etang de la Bonde

Étang de la Bonde, at the foot of the southern slope, is the largest body of water in the massif, with a diameter of around 500 metres, a surface area of 30 hectares and a depth of 2 to 5 metres. It is located in the towns of Cabrières-d’Aigues and La Motte-d’Aigues. Upstream from the lake, the torrents of Pissay and Pas de l’Oulle meet, and their course, diverted from the Ourgouse stream, has fed the lake since the 15th century. The aqueduct supplying it was built by Fouquet d’Agoult to create a water reserve for the château of La Tour-d’Aigues, which is now managed by the Société du Canal de Provence. The water, which is not suitable for drinking, is used for irrigation and also offers opportunities for swimming, stand-up paddleboarding and fishing.

Fauna and flora

Wildlife

The massif boasts a wealth of wildlife: 17,000 species and subspecies of insects, including approximately 2,300 species of butterflies and moths, nearly 40% of those found in France, 341 species and subspecies of vertebrates, 135 species of birds and 21 species of bats, representing 70% of the species present in France. This equates to roughly 30% of the country’s flora and 50% of its birdlife. These figures highlight the significance of the number of rare or endangered species in an area recognised as one of national and European importance.

The wolf in the Luberon

In 2020, the wolf unit at the National Office for Hunting and Wildlife in Provence confirmed the permanent presence of wolves on Mont Ventoux, with two packs. A third area of permanent wolf presence has now been identified, located on the plateaux around Villars, Lagarde-d’Apt, and Saint-Christol, in the Luberon, with an additional pack. In early June 2021, a wolf attack on a horse farm in the village of Montjustin was confirmed by the Luberon Park technicians, as well as by the French Office for Biodiversity.

Flora

The Luberon boasts remarkable biodiversity: situated midway between the Alps and the Mediterranean, it offers a unique blend of features from both environments. Moreover, its east-west orientation results in a significant difference in sunlight between the north and south slopes, with the southern side receiving on average eight to ten times more sunshine than the northern side. Finally, the Combe de Lourmarin and the Aiguebrun valley offer biotopes with their own unique characteristics. This geographical area boasts exceptional botanical diversity, with an estimated 1,500 plant species to be found here.

The southern slope is distinguished by its pronounced dryness, to which both flora and fauna have adapted. There are virtually no springs. The predominant plant species is the holm oak, which once reached heights of up to 15 metres. All that remains are coppices standing 3 to 4 metres high. Excessive felling has caused the trees to disappear in some areas, either giving way to Aleppo pine, or being replaced by garrigue filled with fragrant plants such as thyme, rosemary, germander and yarrow. The cade juniper can also be found in Provence, whose oil, renowned for its healing and dermatological properties, is used in pharmacy and in the production of soaps (Cadum). Boxwood, which can live for several centuries, together with buckthorn, madder, kermes oak, cottony rockrose, and Montpellier aphyllanthes, are also typical of the region.

Situated between 600 and 1,125 metres above sea level, the ridges are made up of vast grasslands and woodland. Despite the strong winds that make it difficult for trees to thrive, woodland now covers 95% of the Grand Luberon surface area. These grasslands, which act as a natural firebreak, have served for centuries as pastures for flocks of sheep that, in turn, enrich them with manure. The flora along the Luberon ridges is remarkably rich.

The Forêt des Cèdres (Cedar Forest)

The cedar grove belongs to the three neighbouring villages,Lacoste, Bonnieux and Ménerbes. From 1861 onwards, cedar seeds gathered in the Algerian Atlas were sown on the deforested slopes of the Petit Luberon and Mont Ventoux. The first trees began to reproduce in 1920, and by 1930, the cedar grove covered 60 hectares. In 1952, a devastating fire swept through the Luberon forest, leaving only the heart of the cedar grove untouched by the flames. Indeed, the cedar is an exceptionally resilient tree, able to thrive in depleted soils, which allowed it to spread over time and now cover 250 hectares, much to the delight of visitors! This site is now designated as a sensitive natural area, is subject to a prefectoral biotope protection order, and forms part of the Natura 2000 network.

History of the Luberon massif

Prehistory

The heights of the massif have never been inhabited, and the only traces of settlement are found on its outskirts or slopes, as evidenced by the hilltop villages. However, numerous burial caves can be found all around the massif, and human settlement on its slopes is evidenced as early as the Middle Palaeolithic by the sites at the Pont de La Combette rock shelter in Bonnieux and the Peyrards shelter in Buoux.

The Roman Period

In the northern part of the massif, you will find numerous traces and archaeological sites dating back to the Roman colonisation. In addition to Apta Julia (Apt), which was founded by order of Julius Caesar and served as an important stop on the Via Domitia, the Pont Julien still stands, allowing travellers to cross the Calavon and head towards the city of Cabellionem (Cavaillon).

In the southern part of the massif during the Gallo-Roman period, villages were established, taking advantage of the fertile soil, with several necropolises and a mausoleum (Pourrières, dating from the 1st century BC), ramparts and castles. In the village of Cucuron, the Villa du Viély is a Gallo-Roman villa that was excavated in an area close to Cabrières-d’Aigues. The excavations uncovered only part of the villa, consisting of a section of portico and the beginnings of a few rooms. They were sufficient to uncover a graffito, an illustration of a seagoing merchant vessel. It was discovered during the reassembly of the painted plaster panels that covered the walls. This building had been meticulously etched with a stylus over a one-square-metre area. The graffito was created on a panel of red ochre-painted plaster, bordered by a green frame. A second boat appears on several fragments. This exceptionally high-quality drawing was produced by a technician who must have taken his measurements at Massilia (Marseille), located about forty kilometres away as the crow flies.

The Middle Ages

In the medieval period, numerous remains bear witness to the strategic importance the massif once held. As the massif forms a geographical barrier between the Aix-en-Provence – Pertuis region and the Calavon valley, the combe de Lourmarin, between Lourmarin and Apt, was and still is one of the only routes through it, which explains why it was fortified as early as Antiquity. On several occasions, the mountain has served as a refuge: in the 16th century for the Waldensians fleeing Catholic persecution, under Napoleon I for those escaping military conscription, and for members of the Resistance during the Second World War.

The Luberon Regional Nature Park

Since 1977, the Luberon mountain has been at the heart of the Luberon Regional Natural Park, which has been part of the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) Global Geoparks Network since 2004. The Luberon Regional Nature Park is a territory, a project and an institution, and through its joint association, it is the body responsible for implementing the Park’s charter. It brings together the local authorities that have signed the charter (Région Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur, the departments of Alpes de Haute-Provence and Vaucluse, and the member villages). Its purpose is to balance human activities with the protection and preservation of natural and cultural heritage, through an innovative policy of planning and economic, social, cultural and landscape development that respects the environment.

Access to the Luberon forest massif during the summer season

From 1 July to 15 September, when the risk of forest fires is higher, access to wooded areas can be hazardous. Access conditions are regulated by prefectoral decrees. To find out the current fire risk level (updated daily), please visit the Vaucluse prefecture website or call +33 4 28 31 77 11 (free call from a landline).

• In the event of an Exceptional fire risk (RED): access to the massif is prohibited at all times and for everyone.
• In the event of a Very Severe fire risk (ORANGE): access is permitted from 5 am to 12 pm in the Petit and Grand Luberon forest areas.
• In the event of Severe, Moderate, Minor, or Low fire risk (YELLOW), access is permitted.

PLEASE NOTE: From 1 July to 15 September, bivouacking and wild camping are prohibited within the forest areas of Vaucluse. sont interdits à l’intérieur des massifs forestiers de Vaucluse.

Explore the villages and hike through the mountain range

The villages of South Luberon

Thanks to the many Luberon villages, châteaux and Historic Monuments, the Luberon massif attracts numerous tourists in summer who are keen to explore natural landscapes and cultural sites. The villages are undoubtedly among the jewels of the Luberon massif, with no fewer than five of them awarded the ‘Most Beautiful Villages of France’ label: Ansouis, Gordes, Lourmarin, Ménerbes and Roussillon.

Centuries-old châteaux

Discover the itinerary of the Route des Châteaux et des Jardins de Provence, a brochure presenting several stops for a weekend in the Luberon. The legacy of a rich historical heritage and the emblems of our destination. You can admire five iconic châteaux here: Ansouis, La Tour d’Aigues, Vitrolles-en-Luberon, Sannes, as well as Lourmarin.

Hiking

Grab your walking poles and set off to explore the trails of the Luberon massif. Walks in the Luberon Regional Nature Park are available on the Chemin des Parcs website, as well as on its mobile application so you can take them with you on your outings.

Cycle touring routes

Hop on your bike and set off to explore the charming country roads of the Luberon, whether on your own, with friends, or with family. Whether you’re a casual weekend cyclist or a seasoned athlete, the roads of the Luberon are perfect for cycling. To find them, nothing could be easier, simply visit the Vélo Loisir Provence website and select your loop or route according to your preferences.