You will recognise the classic hill-top image of Gordes, classed as one of the most beautiful Provençal villages. Locals address Gordes, as Gordes ‘en haut’ & ‘en bas’. To them ‘en haut’ is up high Gordes. Whilst at the foot of Gordes, is known as ‘en bas’ or below, though technically still all Gordes.
The difference between ‘en haut’ & ‘en bas’
During the off-season Gordes is quiet with just a few visitors, and the locals get back to roaming freely through their village. However, most of the shops are closed and will only open again come spring, though there is a core group of shops that remain. Thankfully La Cercle Républicain, a great place for a coffee or a drink all year is open, and the view from its tiny terrace is guaranteed to take your breath away.
Unlike Roussillon where only a handful of shops keep going through the winter. However beginning in March both Gordes and Roussillon ‘en haut’ is so teeming with visitors that I rarely visit, unless I have to as the parking can become a nightmare . . . especially on market days.
Looking down from the top of Gordes this is the stunning view dressed in its Autumn colours.
This is looking up towards Gordes from ‘en bas’. Living in Gordes, I loved this vista as if you look at the grape vines, you will see the brand new buds and leaves coming in and I always stop to take a look as the colour of the new spring leaves which are a gorgeous lime green to begin with.
This little Lavender field is just ‘en bas’ at a holiday villa. The season starts around mid-june and most lavender fields are in full bloom around mid-july.
Hiding behind this little lavender field is a little modernised bergerie, (meaning it used to be a shepherd’s house) a perfect air BnB place which is rented out separately from the main property during off season.
a table set for a perfect lunch ‘en bas’
This image below is of Fontblanche, a large rental villa whose extensive grounds all have the good fortune of looking up towards Gordes . . . even whilst you play tennis on the tennis court. This superbly placed and shady dining terrace looks out over the pool and then the ‘prairie’ just below Gordes.
the prairie Gordes ‘en bas’
This is the ‘prairie’ at the bottom of Gordes, where the cows graze on fresh grass and aromatic mediterranean herbs.
The lane behind Fontblanche villa is the usual route to and from of the herd of meat cows that graze on the prairie below. As well there is a large herd of sheep that appear at certain times of the year. Both herds have huge dangling Swiss type brass bells.
run-a-way baby calf ‘en bas’
I was doing some gardening on the terrace at Fontblanche, when this little calf escaped from the main herd and came running down the drive. After some exciting frolicking, it was soon brought down by its owner, and led onto a little trailer to be taken back to its mother.
Hopefully whilst visiting you will manage to visit both Gordes ‘en haut’ & ‘en bas’, of this beautiful hill-top village, as you can see a lot else happens not just ‘en haut’ up high, but ‘en bas’ as well. There are also families that take an early morning exercise walk, up to ‘en haut’ to collect their croissants, then walk back down to their holiday villas ‘en bas’, enjoying the best of both worlds. It’s a pretty energetic trip up and back down, and that must lessen any guilt from eating those flaky buttery croissants from the Boulangerie Le Fournil de Mamie Jean ‘en haut’.
Gordes Addresses
Le Cercle Républicain
Place du Château
84220 Gordes
Tel: 04 90 72 10 95
All week except Thursdays: 8:00 – 20:00
Le Fournil de Mamie
55 Rue Baptistin Picca
84220 Gordes
Tel: 04 90 72 09 34
