Goult is perhaps the least known and visited of the beautiful villages in the Petit Luberon. Perhaps because it isn't really visible from afar, like its more photogenic cousins, but certainly not because it isn't worth visiting. It's a little jewel of a village, with a very pleasant atmosphere, a good cafe on the main square, and a 'hidden' and beautifully preserved old neighbourhood.

Cafe de la Poste in Goult

EXPLORING GOULT

When you arrive in Goult you park in the square and the ever-popular Cafe de la Poste is on the square, as well as its new neighbour Le Goultois - both a great place for a drink or a light meal at one of the outside tables, usually buzzing with as many locals as visitors. On Thursdays in the warmer months there is a village market.

If you walk up the narrow road that goes up the hill past the grocery store, this takes you to the old Goult, which is all in golden stone, and in some places carved out of the rock of the hill. At the top you come out onto a plateau with a picturesque windmill and panoramic views.

Centre of Goult

ROMANESQUE-GOTHIC CHURCH

Goult is grouped around the 17th century castle and 12-13th century Romanesque/Gothic church with its arches and buttresses, which is definitely worth a look as it is an interesting meld of two churches and other buildings.

Goult and the Luberon mountain

A WALK ON THE TERRACES

There is a good walk around the restored agricultural terraces just outside the village. You can clearly see how the farmers here turned the unfavourable conditions to their advantage - steep slopes coupled with sudden and infrequent downpours were overcome with a system of terracing that levelled the land in steps, like a dry stone amphitheatre, and captured all the water while preventing soil erosion.

And aesthetically the terraces marry superbly to the landscape, not just the stone walls but the ancient olive trees, oaks and fruit trees that grow there. It's like stepping into Jean de Florette. The walk reveals stone walls, cisterns, huts and arches. The walk takes an hour and is signposted in yellow.