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Sights in Gordes — 3 of Our Favourites

Discover and book the top Gordes sights

Village des Bories, Gordes

1. Village des Bories, Gordes

Location
Gordes

Just outside the village of Gordes lies the archaeological remains of a Bronze age village. The Village des Bories dates back to around 2000BC. You can still see ancient sheep pens, stone beehive houses (bories) and bread ovens.

The village has been pillaged in the past but is now protected (Historic Monument) and operates as a museum. It's open every day from 9.00am until sunset. A shuttle bus runs from Gordes (1.7km away) free of charge for senior citizens (but does not run on Saturday afternoons, Sundays or public holidays).

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Gordes Castle, Gordes

2. Gordes Castle, Gordes

Location
Gordes

This castle houses the town hall of Gordes and a museum containing works by the painter Pol Mara, a Flemish artist who lived in Gordes.

The castle dominates the village and was originally built in the 1031, being remodelled in 1525 in the Renaissance period.

It was built in answer to the many invasions of the past, which forced inhabitants up onto the hillsides for a better strategic vantage point. These fortified buildings survived well into the Medieval period and beyond, with good examples like this one still in use to this day.

Once inside you can climb the spiral staircase up to see the Pol Mara museum.

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Abbaye Notre Dame de Senanque, near Gordes

3. Abbaye Notre Dame de Senanque, near Gordes

Location
Gordes

This 12th century Cistercian monastery is an iconic scene of Provence. With fields of rows of lavender in an isolated valley leading to a beautifully solumn sanctuary, the Abbey Notre Dame de Senanque provides a glimpse back in time - if you can ignore the crowds of tourists that invariably will share the moment with you.

It is still inhabited by a community of monks but visitors can take guided tours (in French only) of the dormitories, the chapter house, cloister, and the abbey church. A well preserved Romanesque collection, it is a very soothing and calm place to visit.

Amongst their work is the cultivation of several hectares of lavender. The famous blue flower blooms from late June The lavender is harvested in July or August to extract the famous essential oil.

Visitor numbers are restricted during peak times and you must respect the monks who live here and remain silent. No cycling clothing is permitted.

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