Lourmarin
The Renaissance Château & village of Lourmarin
The Plus Beaux Village of Lourmarin stands in a small indentation carved by the River Aiguebrun at the foot of the southern slopes of the Luberon Mountains. Long associated with artists, the cemetery here constitutes the last resting place of the authors Albert Camus and Henri Bosco. Meanwhile, check out the fine Renaissance church and narrow winding streets furnished with fountains.
The village is dominated by the Château, a part late medieval and part Renaissance structure. Constructed on the site of a 12th century fortress, the older part of the Château contains a library and student accommodation. Furthermore, the Fondation Lourmarin Robert Laurent-Vibert, which helps promote the creative arts, bases itself here.
The magnificent Renaissance wing is renowned for its Grand Staircase decorated with a salamander, the emblem of Francois I. Moreover, don’t miss the ornate chimney pieces decorated with Corinthian columns and the heads of Aztecs and Incas or the view of the Durance Valley and the village from the Château.