Fontaine-de-Vaucluse

Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is a small medieval village beautifully situated in a valley on the river Sorgue in the south-west corner of the mountainous Plateau de Vaucluse, 25 kilometres east of Avignon. Fontaine de Vaucluse is one of the most visited holiday resorts in the Vaucluse department. During the high season there are plenty of tourists, but the town is extremely interesting and well worth a visit. A holiday in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse offers fantastic nature experiences and great opportunities for outdoor activities in the very mountainous and lush surroundings.

The city's main attraction is the source of the Sorgue River, one of the greatest natural wonders of Provence. In the closed valley above the city at the foot of a 230 metre high cliff, the water bursts forth as a fully formed river.

It is the most powerful spring in France and the fifth most powerful in the world. Every year, 630 million cubic metres of water flow out of it. In summer, water is extremely scarce due to the drought, but in spring and autumn, the spring is amazing, although it is strongest in spring: 90 cubic metres per second flow into the Sorgue riverbed. It's a unique natural spectacle.

In the 15th century, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse was the main centre of paper production in the region. Next to the river, there is an old paper mill that is still in use, producing paper using the old techniques.

Fontaine-de-Vaucluse has attracted countless artists over the centuries, including Frédéric Mistral, François Pétrarque and René Char. They were all seduced by its beautiful and scenic surroundings.

Inspiration for your holiday:

Attractions:

Moulin à papier: the old paper mill where paper is still produced.

Ruins of the 14th centuryChâteau des Evêques de Cavaillon.

Eglise Notre dame de St Véran: Romanesque style church from the 11th century.

The ruins of a Roman canal.

L'Ecomusée du santon et traditions provençales.

Le Musée de l'appel de la liberté (Musée de la Résistance): Dedicated to the period 1939-1945 - including the history of the resistance movement in Vaucluse.

Museum-cave: Le Monde Souterrain de Norbert Casteret (Norbert Casteret's Underground World): exhibits the results of the caver Casteret's 30 years of exploring the mysterious ponds, caves and waterfalls of Sorgue.

Músée Pétrarque: The house where Petrarque lived for 16 years and wrote about his unrequited love for Laura of Avignon.

Cristallerie des Papes: Crystal glassblowing centre.

Activities in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse

There are great opportunities for outdoor activities in the Vaucluse area, see for example the following websites: http://www.provenceguide.com/gbcdt/index.asp; http://www.hautvaucluse.com/pdf/guidea.pdf (Guide to activities and attractions in the Haut Vaucluse area).

Golf - There is a wealth of golf courses in the area, 4 in the department of Vaucluse and several in the neighbouring southern department of Bouhes du Rhône. The French Golf Union has a website where most courses are presented. Unfortunately, the website is in French. Go to Guide de golfs and search here under the Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur region: http://www.ffgolf.org/.

Cycling: Challenges for everyone, from elite athletes to families with children. There are several great tours to other cities in the area, a wealth of less demanding mountain routes and the tough Mont Ventoux.

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