Fontaine de Vaucluse , A Mysterious Source of Life

Our beautiful drive through the foothills of the Monts de Vaucluse will take us to the mysterious Fontaine de Vaucluse which is truly one of Provence's wonders.  It is there that the river Sorgue begins, formed at a great depth by subterranean springs that erupt from the earth after gathering water from the Vaucluse plateau.

You'll enjoy walking along the emerald-green water of the river that flows through this pretty village.  Built at the foot of steep cliffs, it's dominated by the ruins of the 14th-century Bishops of Cavaillon Castle perched atop a rocky outcrop.  Don't miss the 11th Century Provençal Romanesque church and the Moulin à Papier Vallis Clausa (paper mill of the Close Valley) which produces handmade paper since the 14th century. There, you can buy beautiful stationary, prints or reproductions of old maps. Take photos of this very pretty region and, if needed, do some last minute shopping in the small shops, art and craft galleries, and more Provençal fabric stores.

LUNCH:  We invite you for a delicious lunch in Goult, then we'll tour the fortified hilltop village crowned with a windmill and ramparts of the 13th-century castle.  Part of the castle's walls and vaulted passages are carved out of living stone.  Goult overlooks Gordes and the Luberon mountains.