Historic Hilltop Village of Gordes

Gordes, in the Luberon region of Provence, is where architectural and natural beauty blends with an intense history. As one of my favorite locations in Provence, Gordes is the perfect home base for exploring this region!

About an hour from the city of Avignon, Gordes could not be in a more perfect location. For our Itinerary, we decided to explore South, East and West of Gordes. It proved to be an excellent home base for our adventures! If you’re curious about what our itinerary consisted of, I plan to release a series of Provence itineraries, so stay tuned!

Getting Here

Gordes is very easy to get to from the major airports of Paris, Nice, and Marseilles. Renting a car to explore Provence is the key to properly enjoying the region and getting around easily. If coming from Paris, I recommend taking the TGV train to either Avignon or Marseilles and then rent a car at the station. We took the TGV from Paris to Nice because we explored the Côte d’Azur first, before renting a car at the Nice train station. If you are renting an automatic, make sure to reserve well in advance.

The Rich 1,000-Year History

When approaching this hilltop village either by car, bike or by foot, you can’t help but be awestruck by the view. Before the Castle was built in 1031 there were signs of Ancient Roman architectural remnants and remains in the whole area. Due to Arab invasions, not much Roman artifacts remain. Beginning in the 8th century, Benedictine monks settled here on a Roman temple site that was destroyed by the invasions. By 1148, the famous Sénanque Abbey was established by Cistercian monks. Shortly after the death of King René of Provence, all of Provence was incorporated into the kingdom of France in 1481.

The village really showed its strength during World War II, when Gordes really got on the map. On August 22, 1944 the Germans clearly saw the advantage of a hilltop village and tried to take it over. They destroyed several homes with mortars. The inhabitants of Gordes actually dynamited other homes at the village entrances to prevent access to the Germans. Many residents fled but, those that stayed, tried to protect their village as much as they could handle with some losing their lives in the process. This active resistance village was later awarded the medal of the Croix de guerre 1939–1945!

Hidden Gem B&B in Gordes

There are so many parallels between Provence and the Italian equivalent, Tuscany. This B&B is one of them. Being a traveler, I don’t typically revisit a place, much less stay at the same accommodation. But this bed and breakfast, or chambre d’hôtes in France, might be where I come back next time I visit Provence. The owners of L’Amandière made our stay extremely special. We were even given a thoughtful gift in celebration of our wedding in the Champagne region earlier that week!

Gorgeous Property

From the Parking area, guests wind through almond trees, lavender and flower gardens to get to their rooms. Rooms have stone exteriors and the quintessential Provençal terracotta roofs. As you continue on the path, you will be able to see the breathtaking views of the Luberon and some of it’s villages from the pool and breakfast area. These views absolutely absorb you into the moment and you’ll wish you never had to leave! The property’s landscaping is beautiful and allows guests to wander blissfully in this Provencal wonderland the owners created here.

Breakfast with a View

Breakfast is included in your nightly rate. It is one of the best breakfasts we have had in France! The owners go to the bakery in Gordes early in the morning to fetch their guests fresh croissants, baguette, and pain au chocolat the size of your entire hand. Guests have the option of trying local French cheeses and a homemade fromage blanc with apricot jam, mango, or raspberry on top. I must admit this was my favorite part of breakfast! Fromage blanc is basically like a tastier Greek yogurt. It is made with a soft French cheese and typically has fresh fruit jams added on top. Lastly, of course we had juice, coffee and even able to make our own œuf a la coque (soft-boiled eggs) next to our table. This breakfast powered us through many days of exploration!

Heading into Town

One of the best aspects of this B&B is that it is only a 10 minute or so walk into the center of Gordes. The walk is on a pedestrian path that has views of the hilltop village the entire way. You really feel like you’re in a living, breathing fairytale here. Once you reach the village steps, its a pretty decent uphill walk into the village center where you’ll find shops, boutiques, cafes, the castle, and an outdoor market every Tuesday!

In the Village Center

You will pass many little shops where you can buy authentic Provençal products and tableware as a beautiful memento of your trip! Definitely make a stop at the castle that still remains in perfect condition. There is a museum here with admission at an extremely low price (5 or 6 euro maybe?). You can explore the castle, learn about the history of the village and how in the early 20th century, earthquakes, industrial change, and disease wreaked havoc on Gordes. The Great Frost of 1956 led to population decline, impoverishment, and many people fled. However, in the 1950s the village picked itself up with the help of several artists. They undoubtedly fell in love with the village’s charm and beauty in it’s isolation and history. Today, the village is full of artist and artisan shops to explore.

I highly recommend the Italian restaurant, La Bastide de Pierres, for spectacular dinners and cocktails! Everything was so fresh and the ambiance was lively into the night.

The Market Day!

I am saving the best for last here, as the market is my favorite part of Gordes! This market is every Tuesday in the village center, but don’t worry if you can’t make it as there is a market everyday throughout Provence. If you love a product and want more of it, you will find the same vendor at all of the other markets as well!

Visit an Abbaye & lavender field

Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque is a Cistercian abbey, founded in 1148. During the Wars of Religion in 1544, the Roman Catholics fought the French Huguenot Protestants. Some buildings were destroyed and the abbey fell into decline. Minus a handful of years in the 20th century, a small community of monks have always lived here and made the abbey economically viable starting in the 1960s. There are guided tours and retreats, but much of their profits come from the lavender and honey that they cultivate. Visitors can tour the grounds, the abbaye, and even attend church services.

After visiting the abbaye, have a lovely sunset picnic at the picnic tables on the road back into Gordes! We always pack our market bag for the day with all the necessary picnic equipment in case we drive by the perfect spot while exploring Provence. It really couldn’t get more picture perfect than this!

About the Bees

One note to mention is if you are allergic or afraid of bees, having a picnic in Provence will not be an enjoyable experience for you in the Summer. The wasps were very pushy in France (even in Paris) the summer we went and did not like taking no for an answer.

We did learn that some wasps get their protein from eggs and meat (like us) instead of pollen. This explained why they would always gravitate towards our eggs, jambon and saucisson! We would watch them land on it, cut a piece to go, then fly away to tell their friends. During the peak of Summer, wait until the sun goes down and you will not be bothered!

Also, the local wasps like to sleep inside closed umbrellas LOL. So we didn’t use the pool umbrellas unless they were already open! For the most part, they didn’t bother us unless we were eating though. There will definitely be more flying around during lavender season, as well.

Follow me on Instagram or Pinterest for some immersive videos in Gordes!

Our previous road trip destination: Gorges du Verdon

Our Provence Itinerary for 1 week

A Monday in Provence: Coming Soon!

A Tuesday in Provence: Historic Hilltop Village of Gordes

A Wednesday in Provence: Coming Soon!

A Thursday in Provence: Château de Fonscolombe

A Friday in Provence: Lourmarin & Bonnieux

A Saturday in Provence: Apt, Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt, & Goult

A Sunday in Provence: L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Avignon, & Pont du Gard