Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
VAUCLUSE MOUNTAINS
Some of Provence's quintessential sights - impossibly pretty villages, beehive-shaped
bor-
ies
(primitive dry-limestone dwellings), lavender fields and a stunning Cistercian abbey -
lie just a few kilometres apart on the rugged northern side of the Luberon.
DINING & ACCOMMODATION
Make reservations as far ahead as possible for lunch and dinner, lest you go hungry. Every table fills in high season.
Accommodation in the Luberon is limited; much is high end. Save by staying in Cavaillon or Apt. Book well
ahead.
Gordes & Around
Like a giant wedding cake rising over the Rivers Sorgue and Calavon, the tiered village of
sits spectacularly on the white-rock face of the Vaucluse plateau. Gordes is high on many
tourists' must-see lists (notably celebrity Parisians): summer brings a cavalcade of buses,
and car parks (€3) are choked. Arrive early or late, or expect to be crammed onto narrow
footpaths, dodging tourists and buses. Come sunset, the village glows gold - an eye-pop-
ping sight.
Apart from celebrity-spotting, Gordes' star attraction is its 11th-century château, which
occasionally hosts exhibitions. Otherwise, there's not much to see. Consider a drive-by: the
thrill lies in glimpsing the village from a slight distance.
Sights & Activities
CHURCH
Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque
( 04 90 72 05 72;
www.senanque.fr
; guided tour in French adult/student/child/family €7/
5/3/20; tours by reservation)
Famously framed by lavender in July, the exterior of this
isolated Cistercian abbey, 4km northwest of Gordes off the D177, appears on every post-
