Fontaine de Vaucluse

After lunch at Isle Sur La Sorgue, we arrive the short distance at Fontaine de Vaucluse. This small village in Provence is home to a famous bright blue spring which feeds the Sorgue River.

Luckily, there’s a Camping-Car park Aire just at the entrance to this attractive town which is where we’ll be staying the night.

Our parking place has the River Sorgue below us and fine views of the rocky plateau above Fontaine de Vaucluse. We’re here in mid October and it’s still quite busy on the Aire but not full. The weather is mild and sunny, so much so that we’re wearing Summer clothes despite the leaves turning golden.

Bright Green and Blue Waters

A short walk from the Aire brings us to the heart of Fontaine de Vaucluse. Here, the bright green and blue waters of the River Sorgue greet us and it’s stunning. The river flows through the centre, where a water wheel turns in the crystal clear water.

Along the banks of the river are waterside restaurants and shops but many are now closed for Winter.

In fact, Fontaine de Vaucluse is really quiet on our visit, which we know from previous visits is usually the opposite. In Summer this popular town is brimming with tourists, so it’s strange seeing it so empty.

The source of the Sorgue

A marked path leads from the town above the river, so we follow the signs and head upstream. We pass ducks swimming in the shallows whilst canoe courses provide water activities along its entirety.

There’s also great views of the surrounding craggy mountain landscapes dominating the town. When we reach the dead-end of the path, a large cavern awaits which we find a bit disappointing.

This is where a large pool of emerald green water accumulates from the spring below its depths. Today, we can’t see anything other than a black hole!

The remarkable facts of this spring are hard to imagine. For example, it’s depths are unknown, because the deepest they’ve been able to reach is 308m but its known to be much deeper than this. The first attempt to discover its depths came in the 1950’s when Jacques Cousteau came here with a submersible only to not find the bottom!

A fence and warning sign – Fontaine de Vaucluse

Unfortunately, the vast cavern in front of us is inaccessible to see. There’s a fence and warning sign to not venture beyond, due to rock falls and dangerous elements that keep us guessing.

However, we remember coming here years ago when people were able to walk up to the spring water. It was a beautiful clear blue/green pool with a vast cavern and high rock face above. All we can see today is a big black hole and overgrown shrubs. It’s impossible to see any water from the spring.

So, this is a big disappointment, although some people are walking over the fence and ignoring the warning signs we decide to stay where we are. At least we can remember what it looked like.

Gallons of water

During heavy rain, an astonishing 52,000 gallons of water per second gush out from the spring, which is one of the biggest of its kind in the world.

Walking back along the same path, we stop at tourist shops and look at postcards showing images of the spring. It’s just how we remember, a large emerald pool flowing over boulders and it’s beautiful.

I’m unsure if it’s just not easy to see the emerald spring now there’s a fence etc or if possibly the water was too low and overgrowth too tall to see anything. Whatever the reason, the walk beside this delightful river is still worth a visit and the town of Fontaine de Vaucluse is pretty too.

Now, we’ll be driving on to a spectacular hilltop town in the heart of Provence, so join us next time in Gordes.

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