Gordes you have our heart! This little French town located to the east of Avignon in the Luberon district was a massive highlight, and ranks as an early favourite of our trip! What made Gordes such a highlight? The hilltop town offered sweeping valley views, panoramic viewpoints of the picturesque town, winding streets, cute shops, along with a number of little bars and restaurants. The views in particular were a highlight for us, and recommend you find a spot in the town to view the valley below, whilst also checking out the main town viewpoint. Whilst only a small town, if you are visiting this region, you have to add Gordes to your itinerary!
We arrived from Avignon via car on the second day of our time in the region. After some recommendations and some brief reconnaissance online, we were definitely positively surprised when we arrived. We parked just before the town in the main car park (we don’t recommend you try and find a park inside the town) and wandered the 5 minutes into the heart of Gordes. The main square and fountain captured our attention, before we purchased a few take away sandwiches and ventured to find a view of the valley. By chance we wandered down an alley and stumbled upon the stunning view of the Luberon valley. Full from our €5 prosciutto rolls and drinking in the best view of our trip for free, we wandered to grab a drink.
After meandering through the streets, we headed to the key view point of the city (around a 10minute walk from Gordes, 5minutes from the car park). The phenomenal panoramic views of the valley and Gordes perched on the hill are something off a postcard. We spent around 4 hours in Gordes, with this enough to cover the town and views. If you were looking to wander further or experience the fine dining options, perhaps a little longer may be needed.
The Best Views:
- The main town viewpoint: link here
- The view from inside the town is a little side alley off Pl. Genty Pantaly down a set of stairs and opening up to valley.
Don’t Miss
The cute square of the town located along Pl. Genty Pantaly.
Getting to Gordes:
Tt would be highly advisable to get to Gordes by car, however tours are also an option.
- Distance from Avignon: approximately 1 hour (39-55kms)
- Distance from Marseille: approximately 1.5 hours (95-110kms)
Costs:
Entry to Gordes is free, however you will have to pay parking on arrival. The parking was overall reasonably priced (~€6 for 4hours). Food and drinks were overall reasonably priced, however still more expensive than in some of the less touristic towns.
Want some luxury?
While wandering the streets we observed a few high-end restaurants boasting the ‘million dollar views’ of the valley. It also appeared these restaurants were attached to accommodation which may be an option for those looking to indulge with a nights stay in Gordes.
If quaint, romantic, small European towns are your vibe, then Gordes should be on your list!
Addon:
Notre-Dame de Sénanque Abbey – located 10minutes out of Gordes, it’s a nice little addition to your visit! This old picturesque abbey is sitting in the hills, with rows a lavender fields lining the gardens in front. We didn’t arrive during lavender season, however photos we have seen online show it’s quite a view. The garden inside the abbey is worth checking out. Overall, this is a short stop and we didn’t spend more than 30 minutes here.It’s not a ‘must do’ but more an optional add-on.
WANT TO SEE MORE FRANCE & TRAVEL MEMORIES?
Want to keep reading more about our time in France? See here!
Check out our South of France memories and highlights! Take a look here!
See the highlights from our time in Paris by clicking here!
Take a look at our Paris croissant tour, including a little vlog of the adventure! Take a look!
Want to hear about the most famous falafels in Paris? Check it out!
Want to see the coffee’s we loved Paris? Check it out!
Keen to take a look at further travel memories and advice? Take a look here!
Pingback