Gordes: A Magical Tourist Magnet

Picturesque Gordes sits high on a rocky spur. The views are beautiful, but from the Rocher Bel-Air viewpoint opposite, you can also admire the village itself. The hillside terraces of the La Bastide de Gordes hotel are particularly striking. Gordes is surely one of the chicest villages in the Luberon. Many wealthy owners have had mas (traditional Provençal farmhouses) in the surrounding countryside restored as second homes.

I think it is the most touristy village in the area, and in summer it gets uncomfortably crowded. If you’re looking for real, authentic village life, you’re in the wrong place. To me, it always feels a bit like a Provençal Disneyland. Perhaps I’m exaggerating a little, though :)

It is still worth a visit, preferably in the shoulder season. I’d avoid winter, though: the place feels deserted. Many shops are closed, and you hardly see any locals.

While you’re here, you can also visit the famous Sénanque Abbey, just a few kilometres away. In late June and early July, the beautiful abbey, with its lavender fields in the foreground, makes for a superb postcard image. But watch out: don’t let the other tourists step on your feet. The nearby Village des Bories is less well known but still very interesting. This settlement of traditional dry-stone huts offers a fascinating glimpse into rural architecture and life in the past.

Practical information for your visit

• Getting there: Gordes is in the Vaucluse département, around 20 minutes’ drive from Cavaillon and 40 minutes from Avignon. If you’re travelling on the A7 motorway, take the Cavaillon exit. For public transport, the ZOU! 917 bus connects Apt, Gordes and Maubec.

• Parking: Several paid car parks surround the village centre, including the Parking de la Gendarmerie on Place René Cassin, around 200 metres from the centre. Charges apply daily from 8 am to 7 pm: €8 for up to four hours, or €10 for over four and up to eleven hours. The first 30 minutes are free, but you still need to obtain a parking ticket.

• Weekly market: Tuesday mornings, from 8 am to 1 pm, in the village centre. It is particularly busy then, and parking can be hard to find.

• How much time to allow: Plan on two to four hours for Gordes itself. With a visit to Sénanque or the Village des Bories, you can make a full day of it. Comfortable shoes are recommended for the steep, cobbled lanes.

• Sénanque Abbey: Around four kilometres from the village. Admission to the interior costs €8 for adults and €4 for children aged 6–17; children under six enter free. Guided tours are in French, while the HistoPad for self-guided visits is also available in English. There are no visits on Sunday mornings. Visitors must stay out of the lavender fields.

• Village des Bories: Also around four kilometres from Gordes. Admission costs €8 for adults and €4 for young people aged 12–17; children under twelve enter free. Individual visitors do not need to book. Opening hours vary by season: 9 am–8 pm in July and August, and 10 am–5 pm in December and January. Closed on 1 January and 25 December.

Practical information checked in November 2026.