Ménerbes, France 🇫🇷 2023 – Michael and Pam's Travels

Date: 31st July 2023

Travelled: 150 kms from Le Poët-Laval to Goult

Visited: Ménerbes

Stayed: Goult Aire CC, €13, N43.85860, E05.22810

Budget: 69 days @ €84 per day

Pam has gone for a solo walk, I get stuck with packing up the Hymer after a three day hiatus in the campsite near Le Poët Laval. We’ve got things out we haven’t used for years.

It’s a long drive down through Provence today so we try to get away reasonably early.

We arrive at the relatively uninspiring village of Goult after a three hour drive. The aire has little shade but all the usual services. We park outside under the shade of a couple of huge oak trees and catch a recovery nap. There was once a time, not that many years ago when an aire like this would have been free with a couple of euros for electricity. This year we have discovered those days are gone. It’s a ‘Camper Card’ site one of several we have stopped at this year. The standard cost is €13, there are several camper cars here already and another 10 will arrive before dark, so apparently people are happy to pay.

For us Goult is convenient, it’s within 10 kms of three of our beautiful villages and as it’s fully serviced, we can run the AC if required.

Having finally worked out where the best afternoon shade will be, we move into the aire, unload the scooter and set Google Maps for Ménerbes. It’s about 8 kms via the backroads.

From our guide book the Most Beautiful Villages of France you’ll find Ménerbes on page 114. Standing on a low ridge with the mountains of the Luberon as a backdrop, Ménerbes looks over the vineyards, cherry trees and lavender fields of Provence.

Once again the views across Provence are special. Every now and then the scent of lavender rises on the wind.

The Église Saint-Luc, the original goes back to the 13th century but from reading the panel this is the 16th century version.

Ménerbes is done as best we can. It’s an easy scooter ride back to the Hymer a drink and dinner. The Hymer has been in full shade for a few hours now and it’s quite comfortable, but we flick the AC on for a couple of hours near bed-time to ensure a good night’s sleep.

Michael + Pam