Menerbes is probably one of the most famous villages in France after Peter Mayle wrote about his time spent there.

Menerbes

 

Menerbes is probably one of the most famous villages in France after Peter Mayle wrote about his time spent there. It is in the heart of Provence, halfway between the Alps and the Pyrennees, Italy and Spain, the Cote d'Azur and the Languedoc.

Menerbes is a good base for exploring the best of the Mediterranean region. It is a charming village, built on a hill and is surrounded by magnificent countryside. The views from the village are spectacular, you can see Luberon to the south, and other hill-top villages like Gordes to the north, as well as the ever present Mont Ventoux.

Many artists such as Picasso, Nicolas de Staël, Dora Maar and Georges de Pojidaieff have lived in Ménerbes and it has been inhabited since prehistoric times. The village has been the scene of some Archeological excavations and these have found the remains of villas plus a cemetery which date back to the Roman period.

If you have time be sure to visit the corkscrew museum just outside the village in the Domaine de la Citadelle which has over 1000 corkscrews ranging from the 17th century to the present day.

The above picture is copyright and courtesy of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France organisation.