Photo : Suwannee.payne / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Château de Gordes
The castle, rebuilt in 1525, already existed in 1031. Well preserved and carefully restored, it links the architecture of the troubled Middle Ages to the new art of living of the Renaissance. The monumental fireplace that adorns the remarkable great hall was listed as a Historic Monument in 1902 and the whole castle in 1931. After housing the work of Victor Vasarely for 30 years, the castle now exhibits Pol Mara, a contemporary Flemish painter.
The castle of Gordes is in the heart of the village, itself built on a rocky peak at about 300 metres' altitude. It is a large quadrilateral building with corner towers, of the Renaissance period. A wall-walk runs along the roofs, and the view extends far over the Comtat Venaissin and the whole Apt valley. Gordes is part of the Luberon regional nature park.
