This article is part of our restaurant series, featuring remarkable independent restaurants that embody Healthy Anywhere standards and sensibility.
How we selected 33 top restaurants in the Luberon with healthy, sustainable, and delicious eats.
Most days (and many nights!), I’m working on some combination of inspecting, selecting, and/or curating good food for our customers.
It’s always through the lens of Healthy Anywhere’s standards and values – seeking that optimal intersection of delicious + healthy + sustainable. And I’m always thinking about what I’d want too!
I take pride in helping our members “eat like a local” and enjoy beautiful food that’s good for body, Earth, and soul.
But at least once a year, yours truly becomes the primary customer for scouting a fun new destination. (yes, I put Healthy Anywhere to the test!)
In 2021 it was the Central Coast, CA. In 2022 it was the Dolomites, Italy. And for 2023, we took on the Luberon in Provence.
Each trip most often includes cycling and scouting healthy eats. I find cycling to be the perfect way to explore and experience a new area – immersed in the sights and sounds and slowing down to savor and enjoy the view.
The Vaucluse and Luberon hill villages were calling our names. Various friends had recommended Provence time and again. Earlier in the year I stumbled upon a great deal for rountrip airfare to Marseille… it was a done deal.
Starting more than a month in advance, I worked on our sources to identify candidates for the top restaurants and cafes in Provence that offer organic, locally-sourced ingredients with lots of fresh vegetables and healthy sustainable proteins.
I tested some of our standard discovery processes using search engines with decent results; and also consulted Michelin Guide, Gault & Millau, countless travel blogs, a couple of public ratings and review sites, plus included personal recommendations from a few Chefs and Food System Pros. (no stone unturned in the quest for deliciousness!)
This resulted in an initial ~1,200 restaurant candidates for France – including nearly 200 in Provence – recommended by one or more sources. These 200 were my focus and starting point.
From there, I worked to translate as much information and menus as I could so that we could run our analyses, scoring, and verification processes to surface top spots that meet our criteria for healthy, sustainable, and delicious!
After much deliberation, I emerged with a list of 33 top spots around the Luberon.
Each top spot was then curated for our Healthy Anywhere app, including interesting details, photos, and all the key info you’d need to know (hours, address, navigation, etc).
I was more than ready for our 10-day visit!
Here’s a “taste” of what I learned and found while exploring.
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Where to stay in the Luberon, Provence
The Luberon is a beautiful region in southeast France that’s part of the Vaucluse in Provence, lying to the east of Avignon and north of Aix.
It’s known for its stunning hilltop villages, including Gordes, Ménerbes, Roussillon, Lacoste, and Bonnieux. The area is full of vineyards, lavender fields, cherry orchards, and olive groves.
Five-star properties dot the area from all corners, and less expensive accommodations are available as well.
We opted to stay on the valley floor in Les Beaumettes, a more obscure, quiet spot – right nearby but seemingly worlds away from the throngs in Gordes.
A major bike path connects through the town, making it a perfect location for easy warm-ups and cool-downs.
Beaumettes also seemed to be a perfect location for dodging early afternoon thunderstorms. Perhaps a coincidence, but the afternoon storms always seemed to hit here last.
On several occasions (except one!), we were able to re-route and keep ahead of bad weather.
One of our hosts, Marion, was quite the foodie and passionate baker with a husband who’s also a chef. They both have extensive experience working in five-star resorts. (He’s currently at the Coquillade in Gargas, Provence)
She generously reviewed our app recommendations and offered a few more examples to consider.
We settled into a daily rhythm of breakfast, bike ride adventure, relaxing, then dinner tasting. Rinse, repeat. It was just what the doctor ordered.
Provence's Luberon Region - A Destination for Foodies
The Luberon is brimming with hidden gems and amazing restaurants run by passionate chefs dedicated to local products and fresh flavors.
The few places we were able to visit in person were truly something special.
These 33 spots are curated for our app and ready for you to explore, enjoy, and savor – with confidence!
We’ve pulled together some recommendations, tips, and suggestions that can help you make the most of your next culinary journey.
Tips for Eating Healthy in Luberon
On our trip to Luberon, we were able to try a wide variety of healthy and delicious dishes. Of all the places we visited from our app – we were never disappointed.
• Take advantage of the seasonal produce abundant in Provence.
What did all our top picks for healthy plates have in common? Hyper-seasonal, simply-made dishes featuring ample fresh produce.
• Savor the local seafood – Provence is known for its fresh seafood, from anchovies to oysters.
We also enjoyed Meagre, John Dory, Trout from the Sorgue River, and Monkfish – but steered clear of “espadon” (Swordfish), which you’ll see on menus. While delicious, it’s high in mercury.
• Sample delights like the local goat cheese. We tasted a few different iterations, including medallions coated in local herbs and EVOO!
• Meat-eaters should keep an eye open for pasture-raised beef, which is locally raised in Gordes. And up until early June, you might spy Boeuf Fin Gras du Mézenc, a highly-prized pastured beef on menus.
• Identify organic products labeled “AB”, short for “Agriculture Biologique” which meets the EU standard for ‘Organic’ and indicates not only an absence of pesticides but also the incorporation of practices to improve biodiversity, water quality, and more. You may also see “Bio” or “BIO” which indicates “organic”. Also “biodynamique” = biodynamic. You’ll find countless vintners passionate about enhancing the biodiversity of their land through animals.
• Be sure to inform the restaurant of any dietary allergies, restrictions, or preferences when you book your reservation. Most places we profiled and visited are happy to accommodate your preferences – but they need to know in advance!
Exploring the Markets of Luberon - discovering unique goods and seasonal produce from around Provence
In addition to checking out local restaurants, don’t miss a stop by one of the many local markets, bustling with colors, aromas, and fresh produce.
There’s at least one market happening in a different village every single day of the week, so there’s no excuse not to go!
Try fresh-made Provencale tapenade and olives. Depending on the month, you can also find fresh artichokes, cherries, figs, juicy tomatoes, local honey, olive oil, fresh-baked artisan bread, fresh fish, cheese, charcuterie, truffles, and more. Other unique items from around the region are available, from olive wood products to hand-crafted soaps, and local pottery.
It’s truly a locavore’s dream.
Below’s the market schedule:
Monday (Lundi): Cavaillon, Lauris, Forcalquier (a bit further afield)
Tuesday (Mardi): Saint-Saturnin-les-Apt, Gordes
Wednesday (Mercredi): Sault, Saint-Remy-de-Provence
Thursday (Jeudi): Roussillon, Goult, Menerbes
Friday (Vendredi): Bonnieux, Lourmarin
Saturday (Samedi): Apt, Manosque (further East)
Sunday (Dimanche): Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Coustellet
Weather-wise, watch those pop-up thunderstorms!
Thunderstorms in the area are STRONG and can be dangerous. We needed to get caught only once while out on our bikes and that was quite enough.
Use a French weather service like meteociel.fr (enter the town under “Votre Ville” … ici) to get the most accurate weather forecasts – our normal US-based apps did not work so well here.
Watch the skies and your 6!
Warning against Google Maps...
Speaking of other apps – we caution against using Google Maps for navigation here – whether by bike or car.
Especially on bikes! Not once… not twice… but three times, we were led onto nonsensical or nonexistent trails – some of which weren’t rideable even for mountain bikes – and we were on road bikes. (I’d forgotten how we’d been stymied before on hikes in Bavaria and cycling in Asturias – major fails! User beware!)
Google Maps car navigation was false or untenable at times – leading us onto similar insane or nonexistent trails. For driving, go old-fashioned paper map, use sat nav in the rental car, or try Apple Maps.
Find delicious healthy meals all day
If you’re looking for the ultimate culinary journey and want to explore the best of the Vaucluse and Luberon in Provence, then the Healthy Anywhere app is waiting for you!
All restaurants are hand-selected per values, standards, and taste you can trust – so you can have the adventure of a lifetime.
Also discover ~1,000 top spots in the US with aligned values and standards. Get early access through our website or sign up to stay posted on when we hit app stores.
Thanks for reading – Stay healthy and Bon Voyage!
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