Or so the story of the famous Fontaine-de-Vaucluse might have started. The water from this miraculous spring shaped the history of the area and its inhabitants, bringing life and wellbeing, inspiring poets…

At the heart of the basin created by the stream that flows towards the Rhone River, lies the town of Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, which could legitimately compare itself to Venice. Like La Serinissima, it was constructed on piles and is crisscrossed by canals and water. It even has the local version of gondolas: flat-bottomed boats that were used to transport merchandise.

Springing from the depths of the earth and filtered through mountains in the Vaucluse region, the water’s forceful flow is exceptional. It made possible numerous local activities and turned many a mill’s waterwheel in an era when stonemasons, weavers, tanners, and paper makers prospered. Picturesque waterwheels still can be seen, attesting to this mercantile past. Every year on the first of August, the nego chin (flat-bottomed boats) take to the water in a parade that recalls the days of yore. Filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, they recreate a colorful floating market. A living Impressionist painting…

Though it was born from the water, oddly enough, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue has forged an international reputation in a completely different domain: it is the European capital of antiques and vintage furniture. Every weekend year round, antiques lovers and fans of heirloom furniture and unusual objects are drawn to the outdoor antiques market—professionals and curiosity-seekers alike. Twice a year there is a particularly large market, at Easter and mid-August, when several local villages take part and over a thousand merchants draw an enormous crowd of antiques hunters and flea market enthusiasts.

It is often said that Provence is a land that was blessed by the gods. That is particularly true in this part of the former “Comtat Venaissin,” where the sun and the water have united to create a magnificent natural setting. Humans have been living here for millennia, and have left behind testimony of their love for the region in architectural masterpieces, such as the collegiate church of Notre-Dame-des-Anges, a unique jewel of Baroque art. Its exceptional interior (nave, chapels, paintings, retable) makes one think of Italy’s most beautiful churches.

Loved by men and women across the ages, the Sorgue basin has served as inspiration for many poets and writers, from the ancients like Petrarch and Boccacio to the Romantic Chateaubriand.

There are many things to do on this “island among the lands” called Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, including cultural and leisure activities. Visitors are continually drawn to this town, be it to enjoy the sublime Provencal lifestyle, to wander the cobbled streets, to taste the local delicacies, or just to stimulate the senses.

Official website of Vaucluse Tourism
Photos © G. Hocquet, JL Zimmermann, V. Biset

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