Vaugines

Towns and Villages - by Provence Beyond

Villages > Vaugines

Nearby:  | Aix-en-Provence 42 km | Ansouis 7 km | Apt 23 km | 7 km | Cadenet 6 km | Cavaillon 36 km | 2 km | Lourmarin 5 km | Pertuis 15 km |

Below: | sundials | History | O.T. | Hiking | Lodging Hotels |

The center square is pretty and shady, and has a fine old fountain [photo2], well tended and with fish in the water. The Mairie is 19th century and has a campanile on its little bell tower. The village commerce is on the square [photo3], with one terrace cafe-bar-tabac and one small "alimentation" shop.

The main part of the village extends up north and northeast from the center, with many little streets, old stone houses and some serious vaulted passages [photo4, photo5].

In front of the little chapel on the Place Capello we met a lady who told us Yves Montand once sat on the litle bench there for the filming of Jean de Florette, a story by Marcel Pagnol.

On the west side of the village is a very long, narrow street, a sort of medieval-residential street, and at the back of the village are some troglodyte dwellings.

The ancient stone church at the edge of the village [photo1] is very interesting. Built in 1004, it still looks ancient, and still in use. Arched walkways around back and an outside stairway to the bell tower. In front are five massive, multi-centenaire plane trees [photo8], some of the biggest we've ever seen.

Sundials (Cadrans Solaire)

We discovered several sundials in the village, including a couple by Nielsen, one of them a triple sundial, for summer, winter and sun (l'heure de soleil) time [photo7]. The triple is at the pretty little Place Capello high in the village. On the front of the Mairie by the central fountain is a faded sundial with a bright sun in the center (1976). One block uphill from the fountain is a sundial marked "MB", probably not very old.

History

Name
First record, 1004 Rupen Juvinam, Valle Jovina

The commune was in the Seigneurie d'Elzéar de Sabran, and later in that of Foulques d'Agoult. It was abandonded at the end of the 15th century. In the 16th century, Gilbert d'Agoult had the commune repopulated. Successive rulers were the Bolliers and Bruni.

Office de Tourisme

Tel(Mairie): 04 90 77 25 08 ; Fax: 04 90 77 12 51

Hiking

Maps:

IGN (1/25,000) #3242 ouest "Apt Est, Grand Luberon"

Didier Richard (1/50,000) #14 "Luberon, Sainte-Victoire"

Hiking is about the same for all the villages at the southern edge of the Luberon mountains (Lourmarin, Vuagines, Cucuron, Cabrières-d'Aigues). GR and other hiking trails go north into the mountains, rising from about 200-300m in the valley to around 1000m at the highest parts of the Luberon (most parts are lower) and down to the forested northen flanks. Other, linking, GR trails cross east-west along the ridges and sides of the Luberon.
The GR97 trail that passes through the village goes west to Lourmarin and beyond to the western end of the Luberon; to the east it goes the length of the other half of the Luberon, through Vitrolles and Céreste.
The GR9 trail through the village and north over the top of the Luberon (902 m, only 550 m higher than Vaugines). The trail passes the gorgeous Fort de Buoux (550 m) and on to Apt (253 m).

Lodging - Hotels