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GORDES is a picturesque Provençal village
much favoured by Parisian media personalities,
film directors, artists and the like.
Gordes is perched on the southern edge of the
high Plateau de Vaucluse. Some stone buildings
are built against the base of the cliffs and
others, including the 12th-century castle, are
perched on the rocks above. The beige stone from
which they are constructed glows orange in the
morning sun. The view from the village is over
fields and forests and small hilltop villages
across to the Montagne du Luberon.
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On the road from Bonnieux to Gordes we pass the
hilltop village of Lacoste
(right). Donatien Alphonse François,
[Marquis de Sade (June 2, 1740 – December
2, 1814) was a French aristocrat and writer of
philosophy-laden and often violent pornography.
Sade was incarcerated in various prisons and an
insane asylum for 29 years of his life, though he
was never convicted of any crime; much of his
writing was done during this time. The term
"sadism" is named after him. His home (when not
confined to prison or asylum!) was the castle to
be seen above the village.
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View of Gordes from the upper approach road
(left)
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In the Roman times, Gordes was an oppidum (Latin
for the main settlement in any administrative
area of the Roman Empire); the tribe that lived
there was that of the Vulgientes or Vordenses
which gave its name to the original village; the
"V" usually became a "G" (Vordenses - Gordenses)
in the Gallo-Roman days. In the Gallo-Roman days,
Gordes was the most important oppidum for the
area of Cavaillon which was one of the oldest in
Gaul.
The insecurity caused by many invasions and
attacks forced local populations to find refuge
on the hills. This explains why so many villages
and towns developed on the hill tops. The
strategic value of these fortified towns extended
through medieval times and into the Renaissance
era, notably during the religious wars.
Gordes has lived in defensive mode for much of
its history and has learnt, maybe more than
others, how to protect itself. This explains why
to this day the village has a tough and even
austere appearance.
'It is like a labyrinth of stones marked by the
torments of the past.'
'Because of the multiple invasions, the
religious wars (including the massacre of the
Vaudois), the plague, two earthquakes (thankfully
light ones), bombing at the end of the Second
World War and all the consequences thereof
(starvation and depopulation), the inhabitants of
Gordes, have had many an opportunity to show
their bravery and their strength and to prove how
attached they are to that little village strongly
clinging onto its rock!'
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The visit to Gordes continues on the next
page.
Please click on the 'Next' button (lower
right).
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