Ménerbes: Perched Village in the Golden Triangle
Ménerbes enjoys beautiful panoramic views of Luberon and Mont Ventoux. Home to many important artists in the 20th century: Dora Maar, Jane Eakins, Nicolas de Stael.
The history of Ménerbes starts with the Romans. It was a stop on the Via Domitia, an important Roman road that connected Italy and Spain through the Roman province of Gallia Narbonensis and its name derives Minerve, a Roman goddess. In the middle ages Ménerbes was part of the papal enclave of the Comtat Venassin, then during the Wars of Religion in the 16th century, Ménerbes was captured by the Huguenots (Protestants) who held the village for 5 years. Severely damaged when the Catholics recaptured the village in 1578, much of the beautiful architecture dates from the 17th century or later. .
SITES
When you walk along the top of Ménerbes, there are beautiful views of Luberon mountain, or northward over the plain to the Monts de Vaucluse and the white-tipped Mont Ventoux. Stolling through paths and alleys, there many examples of beautiful 16th and 17th century architecture
At one end of Menerbes is the Citadelle, a miniature fortress of the 16th century, and at the other end are the cemetery and the chateau du Castellet, where the expressionist painter Nicolas de Stael lived.
In the middle of Menerbes in a beautifully restored Renaissance house, there is a shop la Maison de la Truffle et du vin. which also runs workshops on the wines from Provence and black truffles.
One of my favorite places to visit is the Maison Jane Eakin. Jane (1919-2020) was an American painter who lived in Ménerbes for over thirty years. Her blue-shuttered house has been turned into a charming museum, packed with her sun-drenched paintings and personal effects.
Markets
-the weekly market day is on Thursday
-At Christmas there is an annual truffle market