Lost in the Gorge

In theVaucluse Mountains

The Provence is not poor at deep gorges. Today we drive to the Gorges de Véroncle, a canyon east of Gordes. Already the drive is an experience. From Carpentras we take the D 4. Latest from St. - Didier the scenery is always beautiful, where we can see in the distance the hills of the Plateau de Vaucluse. A city seeming to glue on the top of a mountain appears in front of us: Venasque . A visit is planned on the way back.

About 3 km after Venasque we turn from the D 4 on the D177 in direction of Gordes. A narrow road winds through the rugged mountains of the Vaucluse. We hope that it is not so much oncoming traffic, because in many places is barely room to move.

Once we have the ridge behind us, we come to Gordes , a typical Provencal town on a ridge of the southern slopes of the mountains. today it's just market and part of the road is blocked. The parking lot is full, so we must go further.
On the outskirts is a small stopping place to take pictures of the panorama, which is also very well attended. We make short stop (five minutes are allowed) to take pictures and to film the marvellous view. Then it goes downhill and turn in the valley to the left on the D 2, which leads to Apt.

A few miles just outside the small settlement of Les Sauvestre we see on the left, a sign that points to the gorge of Véroncle. There is a small parking lot for hikers. We are heading it. We put on our hiking boots and -now - lets get starting.
About 500 meters, we remain in the plane. After the hamlet of Le Graille the mountains are beginning.

In the gorge

Sometimes we're up...

...and sometimes in the gorge ground

Ruins of an old mill

First we go uphill and then down through an iron ladder to get on the gorge. Shortly after we pass the ruins of an old mill. As we shall see, the hydo-power of the Veroncle stream was earlier (18th/19th century) intensively used. It often goes uphill and downhill again. In some places you have to climb ladders or ropes to hold on to. The path leads through both the bottom of the gorge and high above the water stream. After 3.5 kilometers , just in front of the ruins of an old mill, we arrive the most difficult place, where we must climb on chains and climbing irons to come down. Here we meet the only hikers on this trip. Otherwise, we are always alone. Shortly thereafter we see the most impressive mill Jean Moulin de Marre . On a plate, the technology of the mill is described and explained with sketches.

Difficult to get ahead at some places

The trail is getting somewhat unclear. We come to a signpost that leads to Murs. Murs is a stopover in our trip. As it turns out later that was the wrong way. We go further and further into the valley. The road is getting narrower and denser, until you can not see any more direction. But we see a path to the right that leads to the right side of the gorge uphill. We decide now to deviate from the route from the guide and go to this path to the top. Unfortunately, we cannot come to Murs. When we reached the highest point -the canyon below us- we see the right path on the other side, we would have had to go. But now everything is too late and we are on a wide forest track down until we are back to our car park.

Abbaye de Senanque

We have two objectives on the return trip. Just outside Gordes, we turn left to the Abbaye de Senanque . This is a Cistercian abbey founded 1148th. The abbey is on countless postcards the epitome of Provence: a thriving lavender field with the Romanic Monastery buildings in the background. Unfortunately, the lavender bloomed not yet. But thereby the beauty of the abbey did not derogate. For a guided tour we would have had to wait an hour, so we abandoned it. Unfortunately we have not heard that we were able to visit the church without guidance.

The second stop we made in Venasque , a beautiful town (one of the most beautiful in France, we read on a sign). We visit the small church - what's the name? - correct: Notre Dame. Next the church on the ruins of a Roman temple, is built the Baptistery Baptistère Venasque connected to the church by an underground tunnel. Are pretty small streets with typical Provencal houses. Venasque is also famous for the cherries that are grown here. Children sell nice, large, dark red, crunchy cherries, where we like to take. The cherries of Venasque are like the French reference cherries which the measure of all (cherry) things.

In Venasque