Beginner Guide to Gordes, France
One of the Most Beautiful Villages in Provence
Voted as one of the most beautiful villages in France, Gordes with its hilltop location, charming homes and artistic atmosphere is a must visit.
The first look at Gordes is imposing and awe-inspiring. The tiered stone village is perched on a hill, at the summit sits its medieval castle. Terraced into the hillside are honey coloured stone houses and tall trees spiraling around the rock face. Peter Mayle's A Year in Provence written near Gordes has help to increase tourism in the area. Listed as one of the Most Beautiful Village in France as selected by the non profit organization, les Plus Beaux Villages de France, Gordes is a must see for anyone visiting Provence.
Gordes is a village made of stone. For starters, a winding road lined with dry-stone walls leads to this charming town in Southern France. All the buildings in Gordes are made out of white, beige or honey-coloured stone with terracotta clay tile roofs. No fences are allowed, only stone walls. The calades – the Provençal name for cobblestone streets are made from stones fetched in the nearby rivers.
Besieged during the wars of religion from 1562 -1598, and again in World War II, Gordes has transformed into a serene vacationer and jovial artist’s haven. The area has been home to many great artists, including Picasso, Renoir, Matisse and Van Gogh. The picturesque setting mired with colour would be an ideal muse for anyone. From its hilltop location, Gordes offers a spectacular view of the Luberon Valley with its deep rich earth tones. You can see red clay soil, deep green olive trees, mustard yellow and dull orange fall fauna.
This labyrinthal village of stone, built to thwart invasions is now a tourist hotspot. Gordes was an oppidum – Latin for the main settlement in any administrative area of the Roman Empire and a border town. As a result, Gordes has lived on a defensive mode, as evidenced by the austere exterior of the village. Carved into the cliff, the stone rock buildings appear jagged and harsh from the outside. At the summit of the hilltop village sits an imposing medieval castle, flanked by fourround machicolated towers bearing terraces for artillery. This castle once served as a fortress, but today it houses the tourist information office and the Pol Mara museum showcasing the contemporary art of the Flemish painter of the same name.
Many of the homes have been pristinely restored with period archways and doorways. Almost every window is adorned with blue or green shutters and manicured flowerpots sitting on the sill. Rushing does not seem to exist here and unlike 400 hundred years ago, today there is nothing combative about this place. Other than a slightly stern outer rock face, it is hard to believe that this great place to visit was once a border town built on defending itself against invasions.
How To Get There
Gordes is 38 km east of Avignon, in the Luberon district of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur. Take route N100 towards Apt then D2 northeast.
Pol Mara Musuem
Le Chateau 842290 Gordes
Tel: 33(0) 4 90 72 02 75
Open from 10 pm -12 pm and 2-6 pm everyday
Prices: Adult 4 euros, Child 10-17 years 3 euros
