Ménerbes

Ménerbes
Ménerbes
Administration
Country	France
Region	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department	Vaucluse
Arrondissement	Apt
Canton	Bonnieux
Intercommunality	Pied Rousset en Lubéron
Mayor	Yves Rousset-Rouard (2001–2008)
Statistics
Elevation	112–693 m (367–2,274 ft) (avg. 244 m/801 ft)
Land area1	30.27 km2 (11.69 sq mi)
Population2	1,187  (2006)
- Density	39 /km2 (100 /sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	84073/ 84560
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Coordinates: 43°50′00″N 5°12′26″E / 43.8333333333°N 5.20722222222°E / 43.8333333333; 5.20722222222

Ménerbes is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France, a walled village on a hilltop in the Luberon mountains, footbills of the French Alps.

Rural Vaucluse was described by author Marcel Pagnol in such novels as Manon des Sources, a hardscrabble peasant life in a declining economy. In the years after 1945 the region offered cheap holiday homes. By 1960 Ménerbes was half depopulated but was the residence of Dora Maar, one of Picasso's models, and the widow of artist Nicholas de Stael, and holiday homes of a London art dealer and a French diplomat, whose visitors to Ménerbes thus included many artistic notables. The region grew lavender, mushrooms, truffles and harsh red wine. Within sight of Ménerbes are the ruins of the Chateau de Lacoste, country residence of the notorious Marquis de Sade.

Ménerbes became known in the English-speaking world since 1990 through the books of British author Peter Mayle, tales of a British expatriate who settled in the village of Ménerbes. One of his books was made into a film A Good Year (2006) directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe, which was filmed nearby in the region. Much was actually filmed in the nearby town of Bonnieux.

Geography

The river Calavon forms part of the commune's northern border.

See also

• Côtes du Luberon AOC
• Communes of the Vaucluse department
• Luberon
• Clovis Hugues

References

• INSEE