Are there places to park outside these towns so you can walk around????..It sounds as if you can't drive into these places at all?..or are they all different?

Gordes has a large parking lot between the hotel you are considering, and the village. You will have to pay a fee, but your hotel is very close to this lot You can sometimes park in the center of town, which is not difficult at all. There his a big lot in the village of Menerbes. There is parking down below Roussillon, and then you walk uphill to town. The closest parking lots are pay lots, but you can park just outside these lots. In Goult there is a parking lot in town. Bonnieux is a little more difficult. I don't think there is a big lot in town, or below. We park on one of the access roads & walk to town. There is a large parking lot in Fountain de Vaucluse. Opedde le Vieux is no problem - there is a big lot or you can park along the street. In Sault, if you drive there from Gordes, there is a parking lot if you turn right at the large intersection just past the lavender shop on your right. There is a lot in Saignon.

The only place that might be a little difficult is Bonnieux.

Stu Dudley

Stu, as usual you are so helpful. I am wondering whether you should write a travel book....I would buy it.

And just to add, in case you visit Lacoste, there is parking on the south side of the village at the top of the road that comes from Bonnieux.

The only place I ever I had difficulty parking in the Luberon was in Roussillon, and that was solved when we found the second "parking payant".

Anselm

Oops ... I meant to add that I think I've been lucky on our several visits to Bonnieux. Stu is right, there isn't a public lot there (or at least I've never found one), but I have always been able to park on that hill that leads up to Place Carnot and Le Fournil restaurant.

Anselm

If you have time to order it before you go, I recommend the Provence Byways guidebook:
http://provencebyways.com/guides.htm

It gives you details on touring many of the Luberon towns, as well as the best driving routes, where to park, etc. A fantastic resource.

Thanks for all the info. It's good to know about the parking.

That book sounds great..but if I buy one more book, I will have to use my airplane seat for my books. However, I will see if the library has it and I can go from there.

I doubt if the library has that book because it's a self-published thing. The authors really do know the area and have many insider tips. We were in the Luberon for 5 days and used this book more than any other. It is a spiral-bound booklet (8 1/2 x 11), not very thick, if you are concerned about packing space.

>>>I recommend the Provence Byways guidebooklt;<

Hey - I just realized that I have that publication too. It was written by a couple who live north of me in the SF Bay Area. They have a house in Lourmarin in Provence. I used the book quite a bit for our first long stay in the Luberon. You could make copies of it, and then throw it away when you are finished (which unfortunatly, is the last week of your visit).

Stu Dudley

Well I may end up buying it...! I am so inundated with information now, my brain can't assimilate any more, but I think in a month or two when I am past this initial planning stage, that book would come in handy.

The "book" is only 1/4 inch thick and it's just normal 8 1/2 X 11 paper. If you can run it through a copier, and double side it, then it will be 1/8 inch thick. Toss it away when you leave Provence. There is a section on Aix, which you are not visiting, and a section on eating, which might not be that important to you. The best part is the driving itineraries. Some of the itineraries are similar to the ones I gave you, but it is good to get info from two sources - this builds your "comfort level". The "book" I have was published in '98, so there might be a newer copy available.

Stu Dudley