Bonnieux

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Coordinates: 43°49′26″N 5°18′27″E / 43.8238888889, 5.3075

Administration
Commune of Bonnieux Church of Bonnieux
Location

Country	France
Region	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department	Vaucluse
Arrondissement	Apt
Canton	Bonnieux
Mayor	Roger Fenelon (2001-2008)
Statistics
Elevation	153 m–715 m (avg. 420 m)
Land area^¹	51.12 km²
Population^² (1999)	1,417
- Density	27/km² (1999)
Miscellaneous
INSEE/Postal code	84020/ 84480
¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
² Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once.

Bonnieux is a commune of the Vaucluse département in southern France.

[edit] Geography

Bonnieux is one of the many historic "hill villages" in the region. Dating back to Roman times, it rests on top of the Luberon hills casting a watchful gaze across the rest of the valley. Next to the village is a Cedar forest that began with trees imported from North Africa during the Napoleonic era. It sits opposite Mont Ventoux, other notable villages in the area include Ménerbes, Lacoste, Rousillon and Gordes.

[edit] History

The region has been occupied since neolithic times, with evidence scattered throughout the Luberon. Monuments dating from Roman times exist near the village including the Pont Julien built in 3 BC located only 3 miles to the north. A monastery was first built at that location in the 6th century, and walls were in place by the 10th century. The town reached a maximum population in the mid 19th century, with 2804 people in 1841. It has since declined to less than half its peak with 1363 in 2004.