Jouques is a listed village, nestled in the heart of Provence, in the Pays d'Aix. The old village, the weekly Provençal market, the medieval chapel and the oil mill, still working, can be visited by foot from the 'Villa de la Borie' that, as the name suggests, opens on a stunning dry stone 'borie' (dry stone house, typical of some regions of the south of France).
Jouques is located approximately 20 minutes from Aix-en-Provence, between Luberon (where Peter Mayle wrote the famous best-seller 'A year in Provence') and the Montagne Sainte Victoire, which became famous by Cezanne paintings. Olives, vines and lavender are growing there.
The Aix-en-Provence International Festival of Lyric Art attracts many opera lovers. The International Piano Festival of La Roque d'Anthéron with stages shaded by the three-hundred-years-old plane trees of the abbey of Silvacane; in Lourmarin: férias, concerts, dancing and theatre shows and many other cultural events occurs nearby. Several museums, exhibition galleries and a zoo nearby.
There is a beach in the neighbouring village of Peyrolles. The sea, the wild and indented coastlines of the Côte bleue and Calanques (classified as Unesco World Heritage), the Mediterranean beaches and marinas are close.
Within a short distance you will find stunning nature sites like the Verdon Gorge, the plateau of Valensole, the Camargue, the Alpilles and the Roussillon ochre quarries. You are a hiking lover? Jouques is located at the intersection of three GR footpaths (Long Distance Footpaths, known as GR in France). Cyclists love this region for the many small and beautiful roads for touristic or sporty rides. Auto racing in the Sambuc circuit, 8 km from Jouques, in the middle of the garrigue. For more sensations, let’s climb the Luberon cliffs, on the other side, across the Durance River.
There are four vineyards in the area of Jouques. During a trip in the vines, you can visit cellars and taste the best wines with appellation Côtes de Provence, Côtes du Lubéron, Pallette, Côtes du Rhône or the well known Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Beaume-de-Venise, Tavel and Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
In Jouques village you will find doctors, a dentist, a butcher, some bakeries, a pharmacy as well as several restaurants, caterers, hairdressers, markets, public transport services, associations and a museum. For a full shopping, the boutiques of Aix-en-Provence and Lourmarin offer all kind of products. There is a Provencal market on Sundays in Jouques and on the other days in the surrounding villages; the markets of Forcalquier, Carpentras, Saint-Rémi-de-Provence and Velleron are famous beyond borders.
In Antiquity, the Romans settled up in this region because of its strategic location. The Alps - and ski resorts - are approximately 1 hour away by road. Monaco, the French Riviera, Nice and Italy are only 2 hours away. Marseille and the Mediterranean Sea are within easy access in less than 1 hour. The tourist cities of Arles, Nimes and Avignon are close as well (a little more than 1 hour drive). There are innumerable tourist attractions and activities around Jouques.
