Gordes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Commune of Gordes |
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| Location | |
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| Administration | |
|---|---|
| Country | France |
| Region | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur |
| Department | Vaucluse |
| Arrondissement | Apt |
| Canton | Gordes (chief town) |
| Intercommunality | none |
| Mayor | Maurice Chabert (1995-2008) |
| Statistics | |
| Elevation | 111 m–635 m (avg. 373 m) |
| Land area¹ | 48.04 km² |
| Population² (1999) |
2,092 |
| - Density | 43/km² (1999) |
| Miscellaneous | |
| INSEE/Postal code | 84050/ 84220 |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
| 2 Population sans doubles comptes: residents of multiple communes (e.g. students and military personnel) only counted once. | |
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Gordes (Occitan: Gòrda in classical norm, Gordo in Mistralian norm) is a mountain village and small adminitrative district in the Luberon area in the Vaucluse département in Provence, France. Population: 2,100 (Gordiens). It covers an area of 48.04 km², ranging in altitude from 115 m to 635 m above sea level. The nearest city is Avignon.
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[edit] Geography
The territory of Gordes occupies some of "Les Monts de Vaucluse", a group of mountains and hills, part in the valley of the Calavon (a local river) also called the "Luberon Valley".
[edit] Neighbouring Villages
Neighbouring villages are : Venasque and Murs to the north, Joucas and Roussillon to the east, Goult, Saint-Pantaléon, Beaumettes and Oppède to the south and Cabrières-d'Avignon and Saumane-de-Vaucluse to the west.
[edit] Postal Code
Gordes' postal code is 84220, which is shared by Goult, Murs, Roussillon, Cabrières d'Avignon, Les Beaumettes, and Saint Pantaléon.
[edit] History
The name "Gordes" derives from the Celtic word "Vordense". Vordense was pronounced Gordenses, then Gordae/Gordone, and finally Gordes [1]
Occupation by the Roman empire. [2]
In 1031, a castle was build and the Latin word "castrum" was added at the name of the place now named : "Castrum Gordone". The castle was re-enforced in 1123. [3]
In 1148 the Sénanque Abbey was established under the patronage of Alfant, Bishop of Cavaillon, and Ramon Berenguer II, Count of Barcelona, Count of Provence, by Cistercian monks who came from Mazan Abbey in the Ardèche.
At the VIIIth century, a Benedictine Abbaye known as Saint-Chaffret was built on the site of an ancient cella (roman temple) destroyed during the Arab invasions [4].
After the death of the King René of Provence, the territory of Provence was added in 1481 at the French royaume under the name of « province royale française ».
During the second World War, Gordes was an active resistance village and was later awarded a medal, the Croix de guerre 1939-1945
[edit] Architecture
Located in the middle of the village, the castle, which was partially rebuilt in Renaissance style in 1525, is a major attraction for tourists.
In the direct area of Gordes is the Sénanque Abbey (a Cistercian abbey still used by Monks) and the "village des bories". The "village des bories" is an extraordinary village only made with "Bories" (also spelled "boris", borris" and "borries"), ovoid ancient houses made only of stone.
All the buildings in Gordes are made of stones and use terracotta tiles on roofs. No fences are allowed, only stone walls. All electricity and telephone cables have been put underground. The street are paved with stones.
[edit] Everyday life
Once a week, on Tuesday morning, is market day. Merchants from the area set up booths and sell their wares. There is food, clothing, instruments, Provencale dishes, decorations, and much more. In the 2 bakeries you can buy bread or delicious pastries. There are no supermarkets, but a mini-market and shops that specialise in a certain item, for example Clothing,, fruits and vegetables, bread and pastry, meats, honey, olive oil, and tourist items.
Gordes is also famous for its artists (André Lhote, Marc Chagall, Philippe Ragueneau, Victor Vasarely, Victor Spahn, Walter Salles, Willy Ronis, etc.) and politics (including François Mitterrand).
[edit] Nearby tourist attractions
The closest are the Sénanque Abbey and the Village des Bories.
Still close to Gordes, is Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. The principal point of interest is the source of the Sorgue to the foot of a cliff 240 metres high: Its average flow is 22m3 / second, the highest in France, and can attain 110m3 after the snow melts.
Up north, still in the Vaucluse but not anymore on the same group of hills, is the Mont Ventoux, dubbed the "Giant of Provence" because of its size, a prestigious road cycling destination which is frequently visited by the tour de France.
[edit] See also
[edit] Bibliography
- GORDES notes d'histoire is a reference book in French for the history of the village written by Jean-Louis Morand and edited by the town of Gordes.
[edit] Sources, references
- ^ GORDES notes d'histoire by Jean-Louis Morand page 9.
- ^ GORDES notes d'histoire by Jean-Louis Morand page 17 to 24 / "L'époque romaine".
- ^ GORDES notes d'histoire by Jean-Louis Morand page 249 to 253 "Le château de Gordes" then page 205 to 216 / "Généalogie des familles".
- ^ GORDES notes d'histoire by Jean-Louis Morand page 39 to 53 "Histoire de Saint Chaffret"
