The village of Bonnieux is perched on a narrow, steep ridge, rising up from a flat plain to the 12th-century "Eglise Haute " church at the top with its high, pointed steeple.
Vaucluse (84480)
Population: 1,422
Altitude: 420 m
Nearby: | Aix-en-Provence 44 km | Apt 12 km | Avignon 50 km | Buoux Fort 10 km | Cadenet 16 km | Cavaillon 24 km | Gordes 14 km | Goult 7 km | Lacoste 5 km | Lourmarin 12 km | Luberon | Marseille 75 km | Menerbes 9 km | Oppede 13 km | Pont Julien 6 km | Roussillon 13 km |
Hotels near Bonnieux: | Bonnieux | 7 km Goult | 9 km Menerbes | 12 km Apt | 12 km Lourmarin | 13 km Roussillon | 14 km Gordes |
Access to this "vieille église" is via 86 steps going up from the village. Take a fast hike from bottom to top, winding up through the narrow streets passing in arched tunnels beneath the houses, up the 86 steps, and you'll earn the spectacular view, shaded by tall pine trees and magnificent centuries-old cedars. Just out of the village to the east, you'll find signs along the road to the Fôret de Cèdres (cedar forest).
A lovely little park with lush green grass is hidden out past the end of the high church at the top and has a view of the gorges cutting through the Luberon to the south, behind the village. The newer "église neuve" church with its high, pointed steeple sits prominently out on the slope in front of the lower village. This fine church is considered "new" because it was built just yesterday, in 1870.
A road also winds back and forth up through the village, passing small squares with shops and cafés at different levels. There are a number of small shops with pottery, artisanal items, and one with beautiful hand-woven wool items. The shops are spread out enough to be unobtrusive.
The view from Bonnieux is out over plains, with vineyards, fields and cherry orchards. Further in the distance you can see tiny medieval villages.
In a two-star hotel high in the village you can sit on the private terrace of your room and watch the sun set behind the neighboring village of Lacoste. Of course you need to get up early enough in the morning to watch the rising sun light the village up again.
Bread Museum
Bonnieux has Beyond's only bread museum, the Musée de la Boulangerie. The museum displays a period bread oven and bread shop, not so much different than what you see in today's small boulangeries (although they are steadily disappearing with the encroachement of the massive "bread factories").
The Bonnieux Musée de la Boulangerie is in a 17th-century house, perfectly natural for this ancient village. The museum explains the history of bread, from Roman times through Medieval and the French Revolution. Explained is the entire sequence of bread making, from the agrarian civilizations and their farming equipment, through the milling to the distribution.
The museum is open in the summer, daily except Tuesdays. In the Spring and Summer the museum is on weekends. Other times by rendezvous.
The hours are 10h-12h, 15h-18h30
12 rue de la République. Tél 04 90 75 88 34; Fax 04 90 20 53 45
History
Name
First record, 1103 Castrum Bonils
Prehistoric: There are many neolithic signs at and around Bonnieux, including several shelters and tombs.
Celto-Ligurian: Gaulois villages of the "Vulgientes"
Gallo-Roman: the Roman road Domitienne Way (Voie Domitienne) passes Bonnieux to cross the Calavon at the Pont Julien, one of the most beautiful Roman bridges in France.
Medieval: a monastery in the 6th century (on the site of a pagan temple); part of the Comtat Venaissin; abandoned in the 13th century; Knights Templiers
Office de Tourisme
Tel : 04 90 75 91 90; Fax: 04 90 75 92 94
Dates
Market day: Friday
Fête votive: first Sunday 15 Aug.
Wine
Apt is in the region of the Rhône Valley Côtes de Luberon wines.
Château La Canorgue
Location: EARL J-P et M. Margan, Château La Canorgue
Tel: 0490 758 101; Fax: 04 90 75 82 98
Château Thouramme
Location: EARL duChâteau Thouramme ; Plan de Bonnieux
Tel: 0490 755 584; Fax: 0490 75 56 04
Transportation Bonnieux
Bus
- See Beyond's Bus Schedules Page 02: Vaucluse Department for downloading Vaucluse bus-lines map and schedules (link for PDF files).
- Apt - Aix-en-Provence Bus
- Vaucluse bus line 9.1 serves Apt, Bonnieux, Lourmarin, Puyvert, Lauris, Cadenet, Villelaure, Pertuis, Aix-en-Provence.
- Avignon, Pertuis Bus
- Two Vaucluse bus lines are required to travel between Avignon and Bonnieux, Lourmarin, Cadenet or Pertuis.
(A) • Line 15.1: Avignon, Coustellet, Les Baumettes, Goult/Loumieres, Gare de Bonnieux, Bonnieux/Pont Julien, Apt Le Chene, Apt; • Line 9.1: Apt, Bonnieux, Lourmarin, Puyvert, Lauris, Cadenet, Villelaure, Pertuis.
(B) • Line 7: Avignon, Caumont, Cavaillon; • Line 15.2: Cavaillon, Cheval-Blanc, Mérindol, Puget, Lauris, Puyvert, Lourmarin, Cadenet, Villelaure, Pertuis.
- Cavaillon - Bonnieux - Apt Bus 15.2
- Vaucluse bus line 15.2 serves the towns and villages: Cavaillon, Les Taillades, Robion, Coustellet, Maubec, Oppède, Ménerbes, Les Beaumettes, Goult, Lacoste, Bonnieux, Gargas, Apt.
The trip between Cavaillon and Apt is about 1h45.
Cavaillon has links to Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille.
A list of schedules for the Vaucluse bus line are at the bottom of the Vaucluse department transport page (http://www.vaucluse.fr/1119-recherche-de-lignes.htm") - click on the link 15.2 Apt - Bonnieux - Cavaillon to download the bus schedule PDF file.
- Cavaillon - Bonnieux Bus
- Vaucluse bus line 15.2 serves the towns and villages: Cavaillon, Les Taillades, Robion, Maubec, Oppède, Ménerbes, Lacoste, Bonnieux. There are 3 buses a day: early morning, mid-day, evening.
Cavaillon has links to Avignon, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille.
- Department 84, Vaucluse Buses
- See Beyond's Bus Schedules Page 2: Vaucluse Department for downloading Vaucluse bus-lines map [Plan global des lignes] and bus-line schedules [pdf for each line] (link for PDF files).
• Avignon has train or bus connections to Aix-en-Provence, Arles, Nîmes, Saint Remy-de-Provence, Paris.
• Cavaillon has bus connections to Aix-en-Provence, Arles, Saint Remy-de-Provence.
• Pertuis has bus connections to Aix-en-Provence and Marseille.
Sports
Cycling
The Luberon en Vélo cycling path runs 100 km between Cavaillon, Apt and Forcalquier.
Hiking
Maps
IGN (1/25,000) #3142 E "Apt (ouest), Bonnieux (3242 OT)"
IGN (1/25,000) #3243 OT "Pertuis, Lourmarin"
Didier Richard (1/50,000) #14 "Luberon, Sainte-Victoire"
• The GR97 (Grande Randonnée) passes through the center of the Luberon mountains south of the Bonnieux.
• A hiking trail south from the village goes into the Luberon to join the GR97.
• A hiking trail north from Bonnieux crosses fields and a few low hills to join the GR6 near Roussillon, about 10 km away.