Vaucluse: Papal Avignon, Mont Ventoux, and the Luberon
Vaucluse sits in southeastern France at the western edge of Provence. Avignon, the prefecture, was the seat of the papacy from 1309 to 1377 and the Palais des Papes remains one of the largest Gothic buildings in Europe. The annual Festival d'Avignon, founded by Jean Vilar in 1947, is one of the most important performing arts festivals in the world, flooding the city every July with theatre companies from dozens of countries.
Mont Ventoux, the 1,912-metre peak that dominates the department's northeastern corner, is sacred ground for cyclists and a regular feature of the Tour de France. The Luberon, a range of hills running east-west through the department, has become one of the most sought-after areas in France for second homes, driven by Peter Mayle's books and a genuine beauty. Carpentras, Cavaillon (famous for its melons), and Orange (with its Roman theatre) are the main secondary towns. The population is around 569,000.
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Vaucluse sits in southeastern France at the western edge of Provence. Avignon, the prefecture, was the seat of the papacy from 1309 to 1377 and the Palais des Papes remains one of the largest Gothic buildings in Europe. The annual Festival d'Avignon, founded by Jean Vilar in 1947, is one of the most important performing arts festivals in the world, flooding the city every July with theatre companies from dozens of countries.
Mont Ventoux, the 1,912-metre peak that dominates the department's northeastern corner, is sacred ground for cyclists and a regular feature of the Tour de France. The Luberon, a range of hills running east-west through the department, has become one of the most sought-after areas in France for second homes, driven by Peter Mayle's books and a genuine beauty. Carpentras, Cavaillon (famous for its melons), and Orange (with its Roman theatre) are the main secondary towns. The population is around 569,000.
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