Travel ·26.09.2024
The real Provence
Petanque and pastis in the afternoon shade. Farmer’s markets brimming with local olive oil, goat’s cheese and world-renowned rosé. The sublime Alps, charm of the Cote d’Azur and bustling energy of Marseille. Provence is a region blessed with pleasing contrasts.
Lavender fields, Oppedette
With so much to unearth, pinning down the real Provence is a daunting task. However, 300 metres up in the hills of the Lubéron valley, we might just have stumbled upon it. Nestled amongst sprawling lavender fields and deep canyons is Le Grand Banc; formerly a medieval farming hamlet, now a reputed wedding and leisure destination.
Le Grand Blanc has its origins in the Middle Ages and its cobblestone streets transport you to a secluded and distant past, one that is at odds with the modernist and post-modernist art generously lining the interiors of the hamlet’s ten dwellings.
Rustic kitchen, Le Grand Banc
At one point in its colourful history, it was a secluded stomping ground for free-spirited artists and socialites. It’s the kind of place where you might just spot an authentic print, heralding from an infamous figure in the pop art movement, resting on the walls of the rustic, wood-beamed kitchen.
Whether you can muster enough inquisitive friends to hunker down at Le Grand Banc or not, Central Provence is one of the most unspoilt areas of France and certainly worth your attention. Promising a slower take on joie de vivre, quaint hilltop villages (see Gourdes, for example) and charmingly rugged vineyards are the order of the day. Away from the glitz of Cannes or Monaco, nature — untamed and awe-inspiring — is the true attraction here.
What to do in Central Provence
Embrace the past in Gordes
Gordes, perched proudly on a cliff 340 metres above the valley floor, overlooking the Lubéron, is regularly voted one of France’s most picturesque villages. A time warp where new buildings are constructed from stone and only terracotta roof tiles are permitted, it boasts a fortress dating back to 1031.
Explore the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque, a Cistercian abbey situated among vibrant lavender fields, and stay for the famous Gordes markets that capture the essence of Provençal village life.
Post-modern artwork in living room, Le Grand Banc
Hunt a local delicacy
Provence’s limestone-rich soil has long been a fertile breeding ground for black truffles. At Les Pastras, an organic truffle plantation, you can participate in a hunt, soaking up knowledge from professionals on the cultivation of ‘black gold’. Once the physical exercise is over, tuck into fresh truffle hors d'oeuvres and Champagne.
Delight in a vineyard tour
Vineyards are commonplace in this part of southern France but the 320-hectare Les Davids estate is anything but typical. Take the strikingly minimalist winery, which protrudes from the hillside and is tinted in local oches to mimic the surrounding soil. Or the unique philosophy, built on organic cultivation techniques and gravity vinification to capture the area’s true terroir.
Round off your tour in the cool air of the cellar, sampling homegrown delicacies (orchards, olive trees, vegetable patches and truffle fields are all found on site) and the best of Les Davids wine offering.
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