June 22 - Gordes

Off to the hill-top village of Gordes, another of the Provençal villages listed as one of the most beautiful villages in France.  Along the way we find signs for a Bories village.  A borie is a "dry stone" hut.  Dry in terms of no mortar, not in terms of a nice place to live without dampness.  Unfortunately despite a sign that said that they were open, the gate was closed and nobody was around; so we had to settle for pictures taken  from the other side of the fence.

The village of Gordes, showing the Chateau, and the hills of the Luberon in the background.  Like all hilltop villages in Provence, it has been there a long time.  The village dates from prehistoric times (code for beats me), and yes the Romans were here.  The castle (chateau) dates from the 10th century.

View towards the hills of the Luberon.

According to the town web-site, during the second world war, Gordes was an active resistance centre.  On August 21, 1944 resistance fighters attacked a German patrol, killing at least one soldier.  This did not endear the town to the Germans, and on August 22, 1944 they bombed the town, destroying at least a dozen houses.

A short distance from Gordes is the Abbaye Notre-Dame de Senanque.  The Abbey was founded in 1148, and is home to Monks of the Cistercian order.  The Cistercians follow the Rule of St. Benedict, and are essentially a splinter group of the Benedictine monks who also follow the Rule of St. Benedict.  So clearly they are very different.  The emphasis of daily life is on manual labour and self-sufficiency.  The monks of the Abbey of Senanque grow (and sell) Lavender, and tend honey bees for their lively hood...Ohh, and there is also the gift shop.

The lavender in Provence was in full bloom, but here in the Luberon, slightly further north we had a "Purple Haze"

Mason marks on the interior of the Abbey church.  Somewhat unusual to see spiral, and round mason's marks as they are more difficult to carve.

A short drive from the Abbey is the Village des Bories, which was actually open.  All of the various residences, and stables are made by stacking stones at just the right angles so they don't collapse.  Not good for an earthquake zone.

A wide view of the Village des Bories.

The Lavender in Provence - Just down the road from our villa.