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Your property in Vaucluse
Large historic Provençal farmhouses with fruit tree orchards through to villas with manicured gardens and swimming pools regularly feature among the property in Vaucluse.
The rural nature of the département means homes often sit on large plots and so include separate apartments or guesthouses, making them perfect for holiday homes or rental opportunities.
Inside Vaucluse
The remarkable Vaucluse genuinely has something for everyone. From its pristine medieval villages nestled in the Luberon to its notable and historic towns and cities, such as Orange and Avignon, the département is a true French gem.
While its magnificent ancient architecture reveals the secrets of its past – going as far back as the Romans – the area has a lively modern culture too. Its exceptional markets showcase the best of the area’s produce, including world-famous wines such as those from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, while even the smallest villages have superb restaurants and exciting festivals.
For those who love exploring nature, the Luberon regional park is a captivating expanse, perfect for walking and cycling as well as other outdoor pursuits.
Landscape
Situated between the mountains of the Hautes-Alpes and the Bouches-du-Rhône, Vaucluse is known for the lavender fields and vineyards that personify this area of France.
The area boasts plenty of hilltop villages and towns, such as Orange, as well as larger locations lower down and closer to the water, such as Avignon.
Vaucluse is crossed by three rivers – the Rhône, the Durance and the Sorgue – and encompasses the Luberon regional park as well as taller peaks, including Mont Ventoux, nicknamed the ‘Giant of Provence’ and popular with cyclists.
Education
For families relocating to the area, nearby Nîmes in neighbouring Bouches-du-Rhone has several international schools, including the HDN Academy.
For further education, Avignon University is a well-regarded research-focused institution. Slightly further afield is the Aix-Marseille University, which ranks in the top 10 universities in the country. It traces its roots back to 1409 and offers roughly 600 courses across a multitude of disciplines.
Activities and Entertainment
Vaucluse has some of the most inspiring historical architecture in the country, including Unesco-registered sites such as Avignon’s walled city and Orange’s Roman theatre, which offer captivating glimpses into the past alongside numerous castles, churches and abbeys.
The area’s cities and towns provide exceptional opportunities for shopping, with numerous boutiques and designer names, while green spaces, such as Partage des Eaux in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue or the Colline St-Eutrope gardens in Orange are perfect for a relaxing stroll.
More energetic activities are easy to find, with exceptional hiking and cycling trails throughout the area, including in the Luberon, while its three rivers provide fantastic opportunities for kayaking and other water-based activities.
Art and Culture
Avignon is the beating cultural heart of Vaucluse, with several beguiling museums and galleries, including the Musée du Petit Palais, which houses the famous painting La Vierge et l’Enfant by Botticelli, but the wider region also has some amazing artistic attractions.
Orange’s Palais des Princes, its vast modern theatre, has a brilliant selection of events, and small but perfectly formed museums can be found in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.
Market culture is strong in the area, with noteworthy examples in Carpentras, which features several hundred stalls each week, while big celebrations can easily be found, including annual fairs, dance festivals and music events, with notable examples being the three-week dance event in Vaison-la-Romaine and Festival d’Avignon, one of the world’s greatest performing arts festivals.
Food and drink
The vast plains in Vaucluse are responsible for large amounts of food production, notably fruits and vegetables, but also for famed vineyards and eye-catching lavender fields.
The area is a culinary haven with everything from simple jambon baguettes through to steak frites and fine dining done to perfection, whether it’s in cafés or bistros in Vaison-la-Romaine of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, or Michelin-starred restaurants in Avignon, Gigondas or Orange.
Exceptional wine comes as standard in Vaucluse, with the area containing the Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Ventoux AOCs, a classification which protects the quality of wine produced, including the sought-after reds of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the rosé from Gigondas and the whites of Vacqueyras.
Accessibility
Avignon-Provence Airport provides domestic and international flights into Vaucluse, while the city is also connected to the TGV high-speed railway network.
Outside of Vaucluse, Aix-en-Provence and Marseille both have international airports and TGV railway stations.
In terms of roads, the A7 ‘Autoroute du Soleil’ runs down the western side of Vaucluse, south to Marseille and north to Lyon.