I’ve been wanting to visit Provence since… I don’t know any more, actually. I don’t think I even remember the time when I didn’t want to go. 🙂

And recently, I had my wish come true. My husband took me there for our tenth anniversary. And let me tell you, it was everything I expected and more.
We’ve spent five days in Provence, but we needed five more to fully experience it. We’ve tried to squeeze in as much as possible in these five days, and we did see a lot. But let me start at the beginning.

Both my husband and I are great fans of Ridley Scott’s A Good Year movie and if you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend it (and you will probably want to see Provence after you’ve seen the movie, maybe even move there 🙂 ) Yes, it was filmed there and the first morning of our arrival we made it our mission to visit the film locations.

But first, let me tell you something about this movie: it is a feel-good movie, not just a good year but a good life movie; it does everything we talk about here, it slows you down and makes you see the good life. It’s a movie about happiness, about love, about all those good things we should aspire to have in our lives. Marion Cotillard and Russell Crowe fit their roles perfectly; they make you feel that good life, the transition from hectic to still, the happiness their characters find. And this is how Provence made us feel and we will go back again, for the beauty and for the feeling. 🙂

Movie was filmed in the Luberon region of France (fun fact – Ridley Scott has an estate there), and we started with the Château La Siroque (in reality, Château la Canorgue) as we were staying in Bonnieux, about 2 min away. It is a winery, open to the public, and even though you cannot visit the Château itself because people live there, the owners are nice enough to let you look around and take pictures. It is a beautiful property, and we stayed for a while, taking pictures and enjoying the scenery. And they sell Coin Perdu, the wine very familiar to those who have seen the movie. My husband and I are not much of wine enthusiasts, but we still took home a bottle of our own Coin Perdu. 🙂

Next stop was Lacoste, where Max finds Christie to give her Uncle Henry’s forged letter. This scene was filmed in front of Café de France, where we had lunch with a panoramic view of the Luberon valley. Lacoste is famous for its stunning views and its picturesque medieval charm, so if you find yourself there, be sure to see the view from the Château de Lacoste, which is actually Château du Marquis de Sade, as he owned it in the 18th century. And what is also very interesting is that later that same castle was bought by French designer Pierre Cardin, who restored it and established an annual Festival de Lacoste, a music and theatre festival held in the castle.

We, of course, also visited Ménerbes, and on our way, passed the intersection where Max got lost.
Ménerbes is officially classified as one of “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France” (The Most Beautiful Villages of France) and offers spectacular views over the vineyards, cherry orchards, and the Luberon mountain range.
What is interesting is that the author of the novel A Good Year (which was adapted into the movie) lived in Ménerbes, where he moved from Great Britain.

It was late afternoon when we arrived in Gordes, where Fanny’s restaurant was situated and where Max spun around the War Memorial monument (Mémorial aux enfants de Gordes morts pour la France) “with his little car”. 🙂

Gordes is one of the most famous and picturesque hilltop villages in Provence, France, renowned for its stunning architecture, history, and breathtaking panoramic views of the Luberon Valley. It is also listed as one of “Les Plus Beaux Villages de France”.
We weren’t hungry, but shared some fries, just to eat at Fanny’s restaurant, which in reality is called La Renaissance. We sat at the terrace, near the fountain on Place du Château, expecting Max and Fanny to show up. 🙂

Our final stop was Cucuron, where Max and Fanny had a date by the pond.
Bassin de l’Étang is a large, rectangular man-made pond on the main square, beautifully shaded by towering, centuries-old plane trees and surrounded by cafés and restaurants, making it a perfect spot for relaxation after a busy day we had. We were tired, but it was so worth it.
For the foodies among you, there is a Michelin-starred restaurant, La Petite Maison de Cucuron, located right next to the pond. Of course, there is also the Place de l’Étang, where Max and Fanny had their first date.

This concludes our picturesque movie locations road trip, and I would recommend visiting, not only to fans of the movie but to anyone and everyone, as these places are worth seeing, especially if you enjoy nature and history.

Next time, more on the beautiful Provence. 🙂

Max Skinner: You tried to drown me.
Fanny Chenal: And you tried to run me over in your little car.

– A Good Year