ActivityPhoto Wikimedia CommonsFontaine-de-Vaucluse
France
Free time to walk to the source of the Sorgue River.
Contents
9 sections · tap a section for its opening lines1Orientation
Welcome to Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, a village that sits at the terminus of a spectacular 'enclosed valley'—a name derived from the Latin 'vallis clausa.' This site is world-renowned not for its grand palaces or battlements, but for…
Listen in the app2The Literary Commemoration — Place de la Colonne
We start our tour in the Plast duh la Co-lon, the small but charming central square of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. The square is dominated by a monument erected in 1804 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the birth of the great…
Listen in the app3The Sacred Foundations — Church of Saint-Véran
A short walk from the square brings us to the Village Church, one of the oldest in Provence. This building is a remarkable example of eleventh-century Romanesque style, but its roots go much deeper. …
Listen in the app4The Power of the Sorgue — The Water Wheels and Paper Mills
As we walk along the river bank, we encounter the first of the village's historic water wheels. The Sorgue has been harnessed for its hydraulic energy since at least the early sixteenth century. …
Listen in the app5A Poet's Retreat — Petrarch Museum and Gardens
We now cross the river to Avenue Fran-swa Pe-trark to visit the site where the poet Petrarch resided from 1339 to 1353. The museum is located on the spot where his house once stood, at the edge of his beloved garden. …
Listen in the app6The Path of Wonders — Chemin de la Fontaine
The path we are now following, the Shay-man duh la Fon-tayn, is a shaded 800-meter walk that leads directly to the source of the river. This route is lined with plane trees and small shops selling local crafts, lavender soaps,…
Listen in the app7The Enigmatic Abyss — The Source of the Sorgue
We have reached the end of the path: the Source of the Sorgue. Here, at the base of a massive 230-meter limestone cliff, lies the dark, deep pool that serves as the river's origin. …
Listen in the app8The Bishop's Sentinel — The Castle Ruins
High above the village, perched on a rocky spur, are the ruins of the Castle of the Bishops of Cavaillon. This fortress was originally built around the year 1030, roughly at the same time as the village church. …
Listen in the app9Closing
As we conclude our tour of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, we are left with a sense of the profound mystery that defines this place. We have moved from the literary meditations of Petrarch in his quiet garden to the industrial energy of…
Listen in the app
What is Fontaine-de-Vaucluse?
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is a place in France with 9 story sections on Tellby. You can read the opening of each section on this page; the sound plays in the app.
| Location | France |
|---|---|
| Type | Activity |
| Story sections | 9 |
| Text language | English |
| Coordinates | 43.9178, 5.1326 |
| Last updated |