The Luberon:
The Priory is surrounded by some of the most beautiful villages and landscapes that Provence has to offer, together with some of the best known abbeys, châteaux and Roman sites in the south of France. The Lubéron region is justly famous for its hilltop villages, picturesque châteaux, ancient churches and farmhouses, all built from the local honey-coloured stone. The well known Lubéron hill villages of Gordes, Roussillon, Bonnieux, Ménerbes, and Oppède le Vieux are within easy reach, as is the much-visited village of Fontaine de Vaucluse with its famous spring, and the attractive antiques centre of Isle sur la Sorgue. Near Gordes is the austere but hauntingly beautiful cistercian Abbaye de Sénanque. Famous for its medieval city walls, fine museums and magnificent Palais des Papes, Avignon is less than an hour away. Further to the south are the elegant eighteenth century streets and squares of Aix en Provence.
Further afield:
To the north is a lesser known area of Provence with the picturesque villages perchés of Vénasque, Séguret and Crillon le Brave, and the imposing châteaux of Grignan and Le Barroux. The attractive town of Vaison la Romaine, with its roman remains, and nearby Orange, with its amphitheatre and triumphal arch, are also well worth exploring. Dominating the skyline to the north is the majestic 6,000 ft peak of Mont Ventoux, a distant outpost of the Alps. Beyond, to the east, are the vertiginous Gorges de la Nesque with their spectacular ravines.