Gordes & Borie villages
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Gordes - by Chensiyuan (CC BY-SA 4.0)





Description
Gordes is a village in the Vaucluse département in South Eastern France known for its 16th century Renaissance castle, its impressive setting atop a calcareous formation, and the nearby Village des Bories and Sénanque Abbey. The Village des Bories is an open-air museum consisting of about 20 dry stone huts located 2.5km west of Gordes. The huts, commonly referred to as "cabanes", were built using 10-15 cm-thick, limestone slabs and traditionally used as barns, grain store and even seasonal dwellings. The village is managed by the Gordes municipality and is open to visitors for a fee.
Access & Transport
Gordes is 45km west of Avignon, 25km southeast of Carpentras, 30km north of Orange and 80km northwest of Aix-en-Provence. There are no public transport options. It is possible to walk (about 30mins) from Gordes to the Village des Bories and there is a parking area near the entrance for those reaching by car.
Instructions & Recommendations
We suggest combining a visit of Gordes & Borie village with the Sénanque Abbey, 3km to the north of the centre of Gordes.
Environmental & Social
Environmentally neutral. Preserves the region's architectural and cultural heritage and brings some economic influx to the village; although that comes with a degree of over-commercialization
Conclusion
Gordes is a charming village with quaint streets, a castle and a great weekly market - how very Provencal. We think it is an excellent activity as countryside sights go but we wouldn't rank it among the very best villages in the country and would hesitate to include it in a summer itinerary because of the tourist crowds. The Bories are unusual stone structures that have been well reconstructed (possibly looking better than they ever did) - interesting but not a must-see.
Key positive
Great views of and from the village
The Bories are quite an unusual sight
Key negative
Gordes is small and very crowded in the summer
Suitability
Suitable for all ages and accessible for visitors with reduced mobility
About this Rating
TYPE
Desktop
RESEARCHED IN
June 2024
PROVIDER
Koreval
av. transport time:1h
est. visit time:3h
Start of Season 1:Apr, 01
MONDAY09:00 - 18:30
TUESDAY09:00 - 18:30
WEDNESDAY09:00 - 18:30
THURSDAY09:00 - 18:30
FRIDAY09:00 - 18:30
SATURDAY09:00 - 18:30
SUNDAY09:00 - 18:30
Start of Season 2:Oct, 01
MONDAY09:00 - 17:30
TUESDAY09:00 - 17:30
WEDNESDAY09:00 - 17:30
THURSDAY09:00 - 17:30
FRIDAY09:00 - 17:30
SATURDAY09:00 - 17:30
SUNDAY09:00 - 17:30