Lacoste

Visit Lacoste, Provence

Lacoste is a small pretty village in the Petit Luberon region of Provence, between Menerbes and Bonnieux, perhaps best known for the castle of the Marquis de Sade that stands above the village.

Explore Lacoste

Exploring the village is very straightforward - park your car at the bottom of the village, then walk up the hill to reach the original stone gateway into Lacoste, called La Porte de la Garde.

Passing through this old stone entrance takes you onto a narrow cobbled street that winds up through the village. There is little more to Lacoste than this one main street and several narrow alleys - but the street is an exceptional one!

Perhaps more than any other of the Luberon villages, Lacoste is unspoiled and not overly-renovated, and almost every building in the village catches your attention.

I have seldom seen such a very high number of beautiful small houses and buildings in one place, or a more authentic feeling that you are really wandering through a village as it was hundreds of years ago - a feature lost to some extent by the more popular of the villages. In Gordes (a very popular village just north of here) you would be surprised to see a herd of goats being led down the street towards you, but not in Lacoste!

One particularly noteworthy feature as you ascend through the village is the clock tower, which has an impressive ironwork campanile.

At the top of the village, as the track becomes even more narrow, you reach the castle at the top of the hill above Lacoste. This castle has superb views to the north, and was once home to the Marquis de Sade - the 18th century writer who spent many years in prison for his deviant and corrupt writings promoting sexual deviance (hence the word sadism derives from his name).

A couple of curious modern statues 'interpreting' the Marquis stand next to the castle to mark this 'claim to fame' for Lacoste, and there is plenty of space for a picnic.

Attractions nearby

Here in the natural regional park of the Luberon it is the countryside and the quaint villages that are the main attractions.

I will let you discover the beautiful countryside for yourself, but I do suggest that in particular you should visit the villages at Menerbes and Lourmarin, two of our particular favourites - and of course Gordes, one of the loveliest villages in France is just a few kilometres from Lacoste.

Photos of Lacoste (click any picture to start the gallery)

Suggested places to visit near Lacoste, France

Distances shown are direct, driving distances will be greater.

More suggestions: Gordes 10km; Lourmarin 11km; Apt 11km; Cucuron 15km; Saint-Saturnin-les-Apt 15km; Fontaine-de-Vaucluse 15km; Ansouis 19km; Venasque 21km; Le Beaucet 21km; Pernes-les-Fontaines 25km; Salon-de-Provence 26km; Oppedette 28km; Simiane-la-Rotonde 28km; Carpentras 31km; Sault 31km; Saint-Remy-de-Provence 36km;

See these places and more on a map at places near Lacoste

Lacoste tourism: sights and attractions nearby

Jardin de la Louve - remarkable garden (3km) : Abbaye de Sénanque (Gordes) - religious monument (10km) : Gorges de Régalon - site of natural beauty (10km) : Abbaye de Silvacane (La Roque-d'Antheron) - religious monument (13km) : Jardin à la française du Pavillon de Galon - remarkable garden (15km) : Collégiale Notre Dame des Anges (Sorgues) - religious monument (18km) : Colorado Provencal - site of natural beauty (20km) : Jarditrain - remarkable garden (23km) :

French version: see Lacoste (Francais)