LOURMARIN, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur

My first ever couch surfing experience brought me so much beauty. Besides making a friend for life, Kevin, a fellow Scorpio, mountain lover & free spirit- it was truly a local experience where I got to explore the towns of Provence.

Lourmarin is a small town at the foothills of Luberon (another splendid town where I stopped by for some homemade natural icecream at l’Art lacier & a stunning sunset) surrounded by vineyards, lavender fields, almond & olive trees & pumpkin patches.It was a fortress in the old old days, but now it’s a chill town where you can walk along the white stone streets & visit cute boutiques, sip a Kir Royal al fresco, admire vine-covered buildings, buy all the berries on display at delis along with the tarts, which are so yummy even the bees are in line for a tase. But most memorably the smile on your face, on everyone’s face & in your heart from the serene loving energy of the place.

There are an abundance of cafes, restaurants & boutiques all with original french things & delicacies. Eccentric shop owners sit out front sipping coffee &/or smoking a pipe, complementing those who they observe or catch their eye. One store I was completely taken by was mr7173 – hidden in a meditative cave-like space, warm lighting &a  dreamy chandelier hanging in the centre. I have a good eye for fabric, I can smell, see it from a distance & it was the quality of the fabric from the mannequin posed outside that drew me in like the smell of freshly cut rosemary & potatoes frying in the distance. I was instantly in love, I wanted all of it even the designer as a mentor! What beautiful creation(s) to manifest! The clothes are airy, Japanese culture sprung to mind, minimal colour tones & free but precise cuts- beautiful clothes! Hand made & thoughtfully sourced materials, naturally & intentional. Like the time a charming Italian chef offered me a pickled Italian aubergine on a spring evening, the taste, smell & texture…… mr7173  is truly an unforgettable clothing line that deserves to be seen, worn & lived.

There was another store that I will never forget & will remain a mystery to me because I lost the business card the owner handed me. But imagine this, a tall confident woman wearing a long sleeveless dress, long light brown hair with ethereal energy who’s shop was filled with a mix of Chinese furniture, French glass, art painted by sailors on their voyages through the Pacific islands, Eames style chairs, wooden home accessories & shells from the east coast of Australia. Her name was Natalie, she was a Scorpio like me & a painter. She shared stories about where the pieces in her shop came from. Natalie also left an imprint on me, her intentional choices led her to do what she wants, how & when she wants. I love that.

So, Lourmarin…charming, ethereal, strong, peaceful, colourful, fascinating. Please go.

Love Natalie x

P.s I was staying in pleasant Pertuis with my friend Kevin who invited me to Sunday lunch at his uncle’s snail farm, where he prepared us Escargot filled with garlic lemon, parsley & organic snail- it was absolutely delicious & unforgettable. We stopped by Cucuron on our way to Lourmarin which like Pertuis are quaint towns with delicious boulangeries & green leafy trees & an old school fountain pool.