GOULT

English woman implored me. I met her and her husband at dinner one evening. They have been coming to Goult for 20 years, and finally bought a home here 8 years ago.

This peaceful and picturesque hilltop village, about 20 minutes from Gordes, feels under the radar, as opposed to Gordes and Roussillon, which draw tourists like bees to a hive. A handful of excellent restaurants, The village consists of a handful of excellent restaurants, charming 16th century stone houses and attracts artists, many of whom have taken up residence. The town is a “living” village, meaning that it remains as it has always been, set up for the people who live there rather than as a tourist-focused village. Residents buy their daily goods at the boulangerie, fromagerie and the small market. I love wandering the lanes, admiring the pretty vignettes that abound, the vine-clad doorways and lovely, muted hues. The church, Eglise Saint-Sébastien, dates from the 13th century. At the top of the village sits a 17th-century windmill named Moulin de Jerusalem. Hiking trails lead from here to several surrounding villages, passing farms, vineyards and lavender fields along the way.

Shh! Don’t tell her I spilled the beans about Goult!

Market day in Goult is Thursday. It is a smallish market and doesn’t draw nearly the crowds of the markets in Gordes and Roussillon, which is quite nice..