What makes this village special?
Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt is best explored on foot. In the heart of the village, look out for the carved doorways, several of which are listed historic monuments, and for the fountains and old washhouses. The best known is the Fontaine du Matheron, whose sculpted pediment was a gift from the last Marquis de Monclar in 1784. Nearby, the Maison à cariatides frames its doorway with caryatids beneath a balcony carried by Atlanteans, added in the 1760s.
The Église Saint-Étienne, built from 1860 and consecrated in 1862, stands out for its slender lines and octagonal bell tower. Above the entrance, a rose window lights the nave. Follow the lanes uphill and you reach the remains of the original village on the rock: its ramparts, the keep and the castle chapel, consecrated in 1056. From the top, the view stretches across the Luberon and the Apt valley. Just below stands the windmill, restored with its sails and working mechanism and open for guided visits led by local volunteers. Behind the village, the dam tells another part of the story. A first wall was built in 1763 to feed the Matheron fountain, and the present dam followed in 1902, supplying the village with water until the 1950s. The signposted "Des moulins au château" walk links all of these sights in an easy two-kilometre loop.
The weekly market takes place on Tuesday morning on Place Gambetta, from 7am to 1pm. It is the place to buy the village's own produce: cherries in early summer, olive oil pressed from local Aglandau olives, and wines from the Ventoux and Luberon appellations. For olive oil straight from the source, the Moulin à huile Jullien has been pressing local olives since 1919 and offers tastings.
Walkers have plenty of waymarked trails to choose from. The Sentier des Aiguiers is the one to know: a loop of around 15 kilometres with roughly 590 metres of climbing, so allow five hours. It runs between plain and mountain, past aiguiers (cisterns cut into the rock to collect rainwater), dry-stone bories and the abandoned hamlet of Travignon, with information panels along the way. In summer, set off early to avoid the midday heat.
Garden lovers should make time for the gardens of the Château de Bourgane, laid out in the 18th century around a bastide on the road to Apt. Wide avenues lined with trees and box hedging lead to groves, an enclosed garden, ponds, fountains and water features, a pleasure garden, an orchard and a kitchen garden. The gardens open to visitors at weekends and on public holidays, so check the times before you go.
Each year on the first Sunday of August, the Fête de la terre et des vieux métiers fills the village with demonstrations of traditional crafts and stalls of local produce. Is there a better introduction to rural life in the Luberon?
Holidays in our luxury villas in Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt
Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt makes an easy base for the Luberon. Apt is ten minutes away by car, and Roussillon and Gordes are both within about 20 minutes. Our villas sit among the vines, cherry orchards and oak woodland around the village, and many look south across the valley towards the Luberon.
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Getting to Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt
Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt is best reached by car, and having one makes it far easier to explore the Luberon villages once you arrive. From Apt, the D943 climbs north to the village in around ten minutes. By air, Marseille Provence airport is around 90 kilometres away, about one hour 20 minutes by car, and offers the widest choice of international flights. Avignon Provence airport is closer, at around 45 kilometres or 50 minutes, but has far fewer routes, so check what is operating for your dates. If you are combining your stay with the French Riviera, Nice Côte d'Azur airport is around 235 kilometres away, roughly three hours by car.
By train, Avignon TGV station is around 60 kilometres away, just over an hour by car, with direct high-speed trains from Paris. Aix-en-Provence TGV station is around 75 kilometres away, about one hour 15 minutes by car. Car hire is available at both stations and both airports.
Would you like help planning your journey? Our team can arrange private transfers from any of these arrival points.
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