One of the hidden gems of the Luberon is its 3000 year-old Fort de Buoux, perched vertiginously above the Aiguebrun valley. Its masterpiece is the secret staircase, carved out of the limestone rock, leading back to the valley... I've taken many groups through the fort and all are awed by not only the ruins, but also the vistas from the stronghold.
The town of Apt, nestled at the foot of the Luberon mountains, lit by the only opening in the sky:
Here's the village of Saignon, also lit but the day's timid sun, complete with the ruins of its three feudal castles (leftmost part of the village). I took this picture from a perch set about a 30 minute walk from the village, up a hidden and steep trail. It leads to a limestone platform, perfect for a picnic-with-a-view...
Near the summit of the Luberon, after having shvitzed a storm, I took the time to dry my new merino wool t-shirt from Decathlon (French sporting goods store -- my house of worship). The merino wool shirts dry faster than cotton -- not as fast as technical polyester t-shirts -- but the wool t-shirts never stink. Well, you smell a bit like a wet dog (or should I say sheep), but I'm willing, as a guide, to scarifice dryness for bodyodourless (is that a word? Probably not).
