Επισκέπτης Χρήστης
18 Νοέμβριος 2022
Bonnieux is a medieval hilltop village in the Luberon valley of Provence. You wouldn't expect, or want, a hotel there. Some visitors pay for private accommodation in the narrow streets that wind up the hill to the pinnacle of the old church. We stayed at Le Clos du Buis. It's bed and breakfast, if you like, but so much more. We had the aptly titled Luberon room which had a terrace with views on three sides. We looked out on the garden and the pool but, crucially, across to the other side of the valley and another medieval hilltop village, Lacoste, at the top of which stands the ruined chateau of the notorious Marquis de Sade. The excesses of the 18th century libertine were such that he was banged up in the Bastille. He gave his name to the noun sadism - deriving sexual gratification from inflicting pain on others. I guess I wouldn't fancy going to any of his chateau parties. The Luberon room was, to my mind, the best in the house. Apart from the views it had a spacious walk-in shower - not always a given with accommodation in France. The basis of breakfast was a range of breads, cheeses and ham. Le Clos is at the lower end of the village, near to restaurants and a bar. One of the restaurants, L'Arome, is in the Michelin guide and features a 14th century vaulted dining area. The village is a great jumping off point, not just for the beautiful Luberon valley but for trips to the Cezanne-famed town of Aix-en-Provence and the walled city of Avignon, with its famous bridge and Palais des Papes, where in the 14th century a papacy to rival Rome was set up by dissident clerics. The Luberon, Bonnieux and Le Clos gave us a memorable holiday. My only regret is that I didn't get to meet the great John Malkovich, an actor whose calling card is subtlety and who has a house there. How cool is that? And what a lucky guy.
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