Cavaillon Travel Guide: Explore the Enchanting Gateway to Luberon’s Natural Beauty
It has always been the entrance to the Luberon, where the plain meets the west end of the mountain massif. Cavaillon is also one of the most important towns in the department of Vaucluse in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region. For practical reasons, many people start their trip to the Parc Naturél Regional du Luberon from here.
The same is true for the nearby Parc Naturel Régional des Alpilles, which is just west of the city. In prehistoric times, people were already living there. In Roman times, when it was called Cabellio, it became more like a city. Its importance grew because it was on the Via Domitia, which connected Italy to the Iberian Peninsula.
What to see and what to do in Cavaillon
Today, there are some tourist attractions in Cavaillon, such as the Roman Arch from the first century AD, which can be seen in the Place du Clos. There are also important religious buildings, such as the beautiful Cathédrale de Notre-Dame-et-St-Véran, which was built in the historic center starting in the 11th century, or the 18th century synagogue, which is next to the Comtat Jewish museum.
There are also other interesting places, like the Archaeological Museum of the Hôtel-Dieu, which is near the Porte d’Avignon and has collections of local archaeological finds. The real value of Cavaillon is in the area around it. Nature gives you the chance to go hiking, biking, or rock climbing, as well as enjoy quiet wine tastings and delicious food.
The more daring can try the Via Ferrata, which can be reached on foot from the city center. Those who would rather take a simple path up the hill can try the César de Bus climb or the walk on the St. Jacques hill, where the city’s most famous chapel is also located.
Instead, you can drive or ride a bike to nearby towns like Lagnes, which is 9 km north-east of Cavaillon and 6 km from L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. Here, you can see the beautiful building of the Domaine Tourbillon, a winery where you can taste and buy famous wines like Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, and Côtes-du-Rhône.
Not just wine, though. The land of the Luberon has other things to offer, like lavender, which is one of the most famous symbols of Provence. On the way to Gordes, in the town of Coustellet, you can stop by the Lavender Museum, which has the largest collection of copper stills used for distillation. Some of these stills date back to the 16th century. You can also buy Le Chateau du Bois products in the museum shop.
Melon de Cavaillon
Cavaillon is known for its wine, lavender, and many other things, but it is best known for its melons, especially the cantaloup variety, which was brought there by the popes of Avignon from the town of Cantalupo in Sabina, in the province of Rieti, many years ago.
Today, there is an organization called “Confrérie des Chevaliers de l’Ordre du Melon de Cavaillon,” as well as a festival called “Fête du Melon,” which is usually held in early July. The melon is also the star of the menu at the Michelin-starred restaurant of J.J. Prévôt, a chef and multidisciplinary artist who created Melonnisme, an art movement that includes everything from cooking to painting. Prévôt himself makes a menu based on the famous Melon de Cavaillon every year at his restaurant at 385 avenue du Verdun.
Lastly, we’d like to let you know that the weekly market is in the town center every Monday morning, and the producers’ market is on Place du Clos every Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. during the summer. During these events, you can find typical Luberon foods like honey (the honey with lavender is especially good), sirop au mimosa, and crème au melondélice de Cavaillon.
Getting there
The main cities in the area, like Aix-en-Provence, Marseille, and Avignon, are all easy to get to from the train station in Cavaillon. By car, it’s easy to get to Cavaillon from Italy by taking the A8 highway, which goes from Aix-en-Provence to Ventimiglia-Provence before changing its name to the A7. 55 km after the Aix toll booth is the Cavaillon toll booth. If you’re taking a plane, however, we want to remind you that the reference airport is the Aéroport de Marseille-Provence, which is 55 km away.
