Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
card rack in Provence. The abbey was founded in 1148; it remains inhabited by monks.
Reservations essential to visit the austere interior; conservative dress and silence required.
It's a 1½-hour walk from Gordes on the GR6 trail, or a slow, winding drive, treacherous in
rain.
Village des Bories
( 04 90 72 03 48; adult/child €6/4; 9am- sunset)
You'll spot beehive-shaped
bories
while buzzing around Provence - 1610 have been counted to date. Explore Village des
Bories, 4km southwest of Gordes. Constructed of slivered limestone,
bories
were built
during the Bronze Age, inhabited by shepherds until 1839, then abandoned until their res-
toration in the early 1970s.
Visit early morning or before sunset for an interplay of light and shadow. The lower car
park is for buses; go to the hilltop car park, lest you hike uphill in blazing heat.
ARCHITECTURE
Moulin des Bouillons
( 04 90 72 22 11; rte de St-Pantaléon; adult/child €5/3.50; 10am-noon & 2-6pm
Wed-Mon Apr-Oct)
Heading 3.5km south from Gordes along rte de St-Pantaléon (D148),
you hit this marvellous rural museum: an olive-oil mill with a 10m-long Gallo-Roman
press weighing seven tonnes - reputedly the world's oldest. The adjoining stained-glass
museum showcases beautiful translucent mosaics.
RURAL MUSEUM
LAVENDER MUSEUM
Musée de la Lavande
( 04 90 76 91 23;
www.museedelalavande.com
;
route D2, Coustellet; adult/child €6/
free; 9am-7pm May-Sep, 9am-noon & 2-6pm Oct-Apr)
Musée de la Lavande, 7km
south of Gordes, in Coustellet, showcases top-end fine lavender. An audio guide and short
video (in English) explain the lavender harvest, and giant copper stills reveal extraction
methods. The on-site boutique (free admission) is an excellent (if pricey) one-stop shop
for quality fine- lavender products, and an easy alternative to driving to distant farms.
Sleeping & Eating
Find cafes and bistros around Gordes' village square. If you're on a budget, carry picnic
fixings from Cavaillon.
Le Mas de la Beaume €€
B&B
