Gordes

Where it is & how to get there

• By car: About 45 minutes from Avignon; use the paid car parks below the village.
• Tours: Luberon day tours from Avignon and Aix include Gordes, Roussillon and Sénanque.
• Bus: Limited regional buses; a car gives much more freedom in the Luberon.

The story of Gordes

Gordes grew around a medieval fortress, rebuilt in the 16th century as the Renaissance château that still crowns the village. Its houses of pale local stone cascade down the cliff, linked by steep stepped lanes.

After the Second World War the village was half abandoned, until artists such as the painters Marc Chagall and Victor Vasarely discovered it. Today it is one of the "Plus Beaux Villages de France" and among the most photographed places in Provence.

Best time to visit

Tips before you go

• The best viewpoint is on the road arriving from the south.
• Wear good shoes: the lanes are steep and cobbled.
• Arrive early in summer, as car parks fill quickly.

What's around Gordes

• Sénanque AbbeyCistercian abbey with lavender, 10 minutes away.
• Village des BoriesAn open-air museum of dry-stone huts.
• RoussillonOchre cliffs and red houses, 20 minutes away.
• LourmarinPretty village with a Renaissance château.

Questions travellers ask