A market week from a villa in the Luberon

In the Luberon, the menu can wait until the basket is on the kitchen table. Three market mornings give a week in a villa an easy rhythm. Stock the kitchen in Gordes on Tuesday, leave time for a walk through ochre-coloured Roussillon on Thursday and give Saturday morning over to the market in Apt.

Tuesday by the château in Gordes

The weekly market sets up in the village near the château. Take a first lap to see which fruit is ripe and which cheeses appeal, then build lunch around what you find. On a warm day, leave chilled purchases until last and take them back to the villa before heading out again. A cool bag in the boot lets everyone browse at their own pace.

Thursday among the ochres of Roussillon

Come for the morning market and keep an hour for the village. The ochre façades shift in colour from one lane to the next. For a longer walk, the Sentier des Ocres winds through former quarries. The tourist office lists two routes of about thirty and fifty minutes. Check that the trail is open that day and do the walking before you fill the basket with anything delicate.

Saturday in the streets of Apt

The Saturday market spreads through the old town. If friends are joining you for the weekend, settle on a main course and let each person choose a side dish or dessert. Lunch starts to take shape when the shopping bags come home. If Saturday is changeover day, consider making Apt the first outing of your stay, provided the arrival times allow it.

When choosing a house, trace the drive from its actual address to the parking areas in each village. The walk from the stalls to the car matters more with a full basket than an empty one. On the mornings in between, set out yesterday’s bread and cheese and stay at the villa for lunch.

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