Leave by coach for an optional tour of interesting sites in the Luberon area. You will see the village of Gordes, awarded the label "One of the Most Beautiful Villages in France." Located in the heart of the Vaucluse hills and the Luberon Regional Natural Park, Gordes and its majestic château dominate the valley. Admire the beauty of the village dotted with stone houses perched atop limestone cliffs. Arrival at the Sénanque Abbey, a fantastic example of Cistercian work. The abbey was founded in 1148 by Cistercian monks from Mazan, located in the Ardèche region. The abbey church forms a tau cross, and rather unusually, its traditional liturgical east end actually faces north. The monastery took 60 years to build, and the oldest parts of the complex were built with local stones. The monks of today continue to uphold their monastic tradition of lives dedicated to prayer and labor as dictated by the Rule of Saint Benedict. The community gathers in the church seven times a day to celebrate collectively. Each monk performs a duty within the structure of the monastery, which itself is focused on the cultivation of lavender. After the flower is harvested in July and August, the monks extract the scent as an oil, which they then use to produce various products, including perfume.

PLEASE NOTE

• Please wear comfortable, sturdy walking shoes. The village of Gordes has steep, cobblestone roads.
• If the Abbey is closed, we'll visit the Lavender Museum instead.
• The order of the visits can change.
• Times are approximate.