One of the loveliest towns of Provence, Lourmarin is not a hill-top village, but it is one of the loveliest towns, reached by driving round hair pin bends flanked by stunning forest and mountain views. The streets of Lourmarin meander past fountains and tight-packed houses which wind their way around an ancient belfry built on the remains of a medieval moated castle. If your idea of a perfect Provence village is a vision of cobbled streets bathed in sunlight with dappled shade from tall trees that falls on cafés and restaurants spilling out onto the pavement, then Lourmarin is the place for you.
It is here that you’ll find the wonderful hotel and restaurant called La Fenière, which used to be a coaching inn in the days when Lourmarin was a stop off point on the popular Marseille to Apt horse-drawn coach route. La Fenière is run by a mother and daughter team. Reine Sammut is a Michelin star chef, a rarity in an area dominated by men. Daughter Nadia Sammut who says “I learned cooking at my mother’s knees”, is a rising star who is making waves in France with her gluten-free cuisine philosophy.
Lourmarin