A Journey Through Lacoste: Provence’s Artist Enclave
1. One of many views out over the Calavon Valley | 2. The view of Lacoste as you near the village | 3. Restored village buildings now house SCAD residences, classrooms and galleries | 4. Typical Provencal home entry
Nestled on the northern side of Petit Luberon, Lacoste has a long history. Once an enclave of the County of Provence in the papal Comtat Venaissin, it joined France in 1481. In 1545, troops under Meynier d'Oppède massacred all Lacoste's residents in a campaign against heretics. In 1716, rule passed to François Gaspard de Sade, grandfather of the infamous Marquis de Sade. Fleeing scandal in Paris, the Marquis sought refuge in the castle in 1771.
1. Many of the buildings in Lacoste have been lovingly restored | 2. Ivy-covered buildings | 3. The Portail de la Garde on Rue Saint-Trophime | 4. The village sits on the side of a mountain of limestone
Nearly destroyed in the French Revolution and further damaged in World War II, the Château de Lacoste underwent renovations after Pierre Cardin purchased it in 2001. Cardin and the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) helped develop Lacoste into an arts hub. SCAD acquired the Lacoste School of the Arts, founded by painter Bernard Pfriem when he restored a ruined house in the 1970s. Today, SCAD hosts study abroad programs in various arts, utilizing about 50 restored village buildings.
1. One of many beautiful doors in the village | 2. View of the Cavalon valley over curved tile rooftops | 3. Laura wandering cobblestone lanes | 4. The old Boulangerie on Rue Saint-Trophime
The Provencal charm of Lacoste is best appreciated by wandering the village. And in my case, I stopped every few seconds to photograph the beauty of this flawlessly preserved and restored medieval village. The Portail de la Garde is the vaulted passageway and main entrance to Lacoste. Past the gate, Rue Sainte Trophime leads to the 1550 belfry adorned with a wrought iron campanile, which marks the entrance to the castle perched above the village.
1. The old Bouelangerie on Rue Saint-Trophime, now the SCAD library | 2. Beautiful doors everywhere | 3. Fountain on Rue Saint Trophime near Cafe du Sade and the Portail de la Garde | 4. The SCAD Welcome Center on Rue Saint-Trophime
The cobblestone lanes and vaulted passageways snake past gardens with views over the Calavon Valley and the Mountains of Vaucluse. We found ourselves awed at every turn, winding slowly upwards. So much of the village is now occupied by SCAD that there is little else. ShopSCAD features student and faculty-created jewelry and artwork. There are also a couple of small cafes, perfect for relaxing and grabbing an afternoon Aperol spritz. Otherwise, it really is a village occupied by SCAD and visiting tourists.
1. Wandering side streets in Lacoste | 2. Garden bistro setting | 3. View over the rooftops in Lacoste | 4. Cobblestone lanes
1. View from the Place de la Mairie near the Mairie (town hall) | 2. Cafe de France in the Place de la Mairie | 3. A SCAD gallery entrance on Rue Saint-Trophime | 4. Garden setting and limestone covered in ivy
PLANNING YOUR VISIT
DIRECTIONS & WHERE TO PARK
Easily accessed by car, the main road, the D106, provides direct access from the N100. Avignon is about 50 kilometers away by road. As part of a day trip from Avignon, my sister and I made the drive to Lacoste in about an hour and found the drive very easy and mostly scenic once outside of Avignon, with free parking in the car park, Parking Paysager, located on the Route d'Apt at the entrance to the old medieval center. You may find additional parking along the road on the D106 as you enter the village and around the bend, shortly after passing the Cafe de France.
DRIVING IN FRANCE
Driving is on the right. It is advisable to get an international driver's license; if you are an American tourist, they are easily available at AAA Travel locations, as well as online at AAA. The general rule for right-of-way at an intersection is "priorité à droite", meaning you must yield to traffic coming from your right. This rule does not apply if there are traffic lights, stop signs, yield signs, or if you are on a priority road, indicated by a yellow diamond sign. When on a roundabout, you yield to traffic already on the roundabout, which comes from your left.
MARKET DAY
The market day in Lacoste is seasonally on Wednesday mornings at Place de l'Église. This is a smaller market of roughly ten vendors offering fruit and vegetables, and also meat products.
SHOPPING
ShopSCAD
Location: Rue St. Trophime
