If there is one place on the bucket list of most visitors to Provence, it has to be Gordes. It’s almost like going to Paris and seeing the Eiffel Tour, it is the iconic Provencal village.
The best way for your first experience of Gordes is from afar at the lookout point, because once you are in the village, your perspective is completely different, and you simply can’t appreciate the grandeur upon which you stand.
Exploring the nooks and crannies and hidden secrets of this picturesque hill top town will enchant you. Cobblestone streets, a majestic 16th century chateau and mellow, yellow stoned houses make this the town the poster boy for Provence.
Take time to view the lower fountain where 400 shoemakers worked until the 19th century, when an earthquake deviated the underground water sources and ruined their businesses. Go underground and discover the Caves of Saint Firmin where dedication and hard work by a local family unveiled silos, vats and an olive mill - 7 floors under the main house!
The environs of Gordes are truly marvellous, such as the Cistercian architecture of the Abbey de Senanque where the monks harvest lavender from the fields that surround it. Relax in the dry-stone huts, known as bories, that pepper the landscape and offer respite from the sun for those who choose to hike one of the many glorious trails.
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Gordes - the heart of Provence