Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, Provence

Explanation of its operation:


The Ferris wheel drives a shaft 70 cams 6m trimmed wood, which in turn raises the "hammers".


The assembly comprises five tanks granite, called "stack hollow", equipped with hammers 3: 2 "défileuses", 2 "refiners", 1 "effleureuse".


The head of each mallet is lined with sharp steel blades that shred rags, linen, hemp and cotton on "steel plate" for 24 to 36 hours depending on the quality of the desired dough.


The "Hollander beater" ends refining.

     It has some interest because it is typically representative of the architecture in the area. Walking along the Sorgue, admiring along the shelves of small shops is a real pleasure. In the middle of the main square of the village stands the Petrarch column, the famous philosopher and poet of the late Middle Ages that still seems to haunt the premises.

 

Although the parking is limited, you will be comforted by buying a few small bricolettes euros as picturesque as any in the beautiful tourist trap shops. The gallery covered which extends along the river will offer a wide selection of jewelry, traditional objects and other confections.

 

After that, it will do more than walk quietly to the abyss, on a shaded path plane trees and cliffs that surround it.

history:

          The fortress was built before 1000 by the monks of Saint Victor to protect the tomb of Saint-Veran, an important pilgrimage. A castrum is mentioned in the deed of donation 1034. In 1253, the castle is mentioned as a property of the bishop of Cavaillon, lord of the place which holds the fief of Count
Toulouse, Bishop Philip Cabassole friend of Petrarch made frequent trips to castle overlooking the fountain and the Village. The castle became property of the family Sagnet, Vaucluse Lords of the fifteenth century and was destroyed in the sixteenth century by the soldiers of the Baron of Adrets.
        The present castle dates back to the early thirteenth century: it is a rectangle 49 of 22 meters. A rounded tower supports the northwest corner. The wall, preceded by a wide dry moat, is pierced with arrow slits. The entrance was protected by a barbican. An inventory drawn up in 1414, said he had chapel, dungeon, armories, guard room and tank ...

Source : Château de France, "Château des Evêques de Cavaillon", visité le 15/12/2014.

 

Architecture:

The castle was built according to the relief at peak. The rock was so his best defense. The shape of the towers is very significant of the medieval architecture of the era fortifications after the square tower, architects looking for a way to reduce the maximum the destructive effects of cannonballs.

To see more photos of the castle, making it the  Petit Patrimoine Site a good description, especially for access.

That is the primary interest of tourists to the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. The gulf is actually a resurgence (here its virtual tour) that we have not yet explored the background. During snowmelt in the spring, it is not very interesting to visit her because it is completely submerged, but Sorgue unleashed worth seeing.

 

Story of the legend:

Party girls dancing Isle-sur-Sorgue, the old fiddler Basile fell asleep in the shade on a hot day, on the way to Vaucluse. Appeared a nymph, beautiful as the clear water, took the hand of the sleeper and led him to the edge of the basin where Sorgue flourishes. Before them, the water opened and let them down, liquid crystal between two walls of the abyss.

After a long ground running, nymph, amid a smiling meadow strewn with flowers supernatural stopped the fiddler to seven large diamonds. Lifting one of them, she brought forth a powerful jet of water. That, she said, the secret source of which I am the guardian, I withdraw to inflate diamonds at spetième, water reached "the fig tree that drinks only once a year" and she disappeared waking Basile.

The soul of the famous Italian writer and poet is everywhere at the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.

He even dedicated a sonnet:

A LA FONTAINE DE VAUCLUZE

Nimphes qui habitez ces roches carverneuses

Et qui vous esbatans ay crystal de ses eaux

Cachez comm'un tresor sous deux rares tombeaux

Dun couple nompareil les cendres amoureuses,

A vous Petrarque fit ses plaintes langoureuses

Gravant par mille vers au sein de vos coutaux

Les beautez de sa Laure et ses plus durs travaux

Qui font nommer partout vos rives bienheureuses.

Naiades, murmurez le nom de ces amantz,

Vaucluze, resonnez les mignars passetans

Que de sa Laure en vous souloyt cueillir Petrarque,

O plaisante memoire, o lieux bien fortunez,

O siecle gratieux, sous qui nous justes nez

Plus heureux que d'avoir produit quelque monarque!

 Translation:

THE FOUNTAIN VAUCLUZE


Nimphes those who dwell carverneuses rocks

And frolicking to the crystal waters

Hide as a rare treasure in two tombs

On the nonpareil couples romantic ashes

 

To you Petrarch made his languid complaints

Burning a mile to within your knives

The beauties of his Laura and his toughest jobs

Who are appointed throughout your blessed shores.

 

Naiades, whisper the names of the lovers,

Vaucluze, resonate the passers mignars

As its Laure knew you pick Petrarch,

 

O pleasant memory, where many wealthy places,

O gratieux century, in which we are just born

Happier than to have produced some monarch!