Surrounded by olive groves and lavender fields, Simiane-la-Rotonde is a typical Provençal hilltop village located between the Luberon mountains and Pays de Forcalquier area. Dominated by the rotunda of the medieval castle, the very charming old village is a very pleasant place to stroll around with its narrow, flower-filled cobbled streets lined with pretty houses, art studios and craft workshops, and picturesque 16th-century covered market, which offers a beautiful view over the surrounding countryside.
At the top of the village stands Agoult-Simiane fortified castle with its rotunda (a 12th-century former keep) and a splendid Romanesque hall with decorative carvings. It also houses an exhibition about the history of the castle, and an introduction to aromatherapy.
An international festival of early music, the Riches Heures Musicales de la Rotonde, is held in the magnificent rotunda every August.
