The candied fruit capital of the world — ochre quarries, the Luberon market, Roussillon villages, and the finest lavender landscapes in Provence
Apt is a small market town in the Luberon, 50km east of Avignon in the Vaucluse — the capital of a territory that is unreasonably rich in Provençal character: the weekly Saturday market (one of the best in Provence) fills the old town with local producers, the surrounding ochre quarries and cliffs at Roussillon create an extraordinary landscape of burnt oranges and sienna reds, and the lavender fields of the Valensole plateau peak in July with the kind of purple expanse that has become the visual icon of Provence. Apt itself is internationally known in the food industry as the capital of frui…
Apt (Apta Julia) was a significant Roman city on the Via Domitia — the main road connecting Rome to Spain through Gaul — and became an important early Christian centre. The Cathedral of Sainte-Anne contains the relics of Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary (according to tradition), making it a major pilgrimage destination. The candied fruit industry developed from the 12th century as Arab preserving techniques (brought through Sicily and Catalonia) met the abundant fruit production of the Luberon: the region's mild climate and access to Mediterranean trade routes made it a natural centre for…