A Summer in France: L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is chapter 11 of our trip. This small town is famous for its many antique shops and hosts antique markets on Sundays which takes over the entire town center. If you’ve parked inside the old center, there’s no getting in or out that day. This is probably the largest antiques area in France outside of Paris. There are over 300 permanent antique dealers in this small town of 26,000 people and as many as 500 dealers on Sundays. According to my calculations, that’s about one antique dealer for every 52 residents that day. That’s a lot of stuff for sale.
Exploring the island
Known as the “Venice of Provence” because of its canals and waterways, Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is an island surrounded by the Sorgue River. The spring water is crystal clear and is approximately 55 degrees year round. There are still about 15 water wheels in town, remnants of the wheat, wool and silk industries that prospered here. Many of the wheels are covered in moss and some are still spinning.
Originally constructed in the historic center in 1212 is Notre-Dame des Anges Church. Rebuilt during the 15-17th centuries, the church’s plain exterior hides a highly decorated blue and gold baroque interior.
Most of the old town center is now pedestrian. The apartment we rented is in the heart of the old town, so we parked the car and then walked everywhere. Yes, it was another underground garage with a spot inside a box as I’ve mentioned before, but Danny’s got this now. If you don’t want to walk, there’s a little train that takes you around town. We spent a week here as our base to explore Provence. What a quaint town. It’s quiet, easy to navigate and picture perfect everywhere you go. Boutiques filled with lavender, wine, spices and clothing fill the alleyways, while cafes line the canals. We love the slower pace of things in the smaller villages compared to the large cities we’ve visited. It was a much needed break. Danny and I fell in love with this village, so we’ll definitely return to visit.
The Sorgue River
Originating in the nearby town of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, the Sorgue River splits into two branches closer towards L’Isle sur la Sorgue, at a spot called La Partage des Eaux (the parting of the waters). The river is so clear and beautiful you can see all the way to the bottom.
The fountain, or spring, is located at the foot of a steep limestone cliff 755 feet high. It is the biggest spring in France. It is also the fifth largest in the world, with an annual flow of 630 million cubic meters (167 billion gallons). In 1985 a submerged robot measured the depth of the source through the cave’s entrance at over 1,000 feet deep. This time of year the water level was below the shaft, so we couldn’t see the brillant turquoise water at the mouth, but you can see the color as it rushed downstream.
I’m sharing just a few photos taken while walking around this small village.
Antique stores
There are many opportunities to spend your budget on both museum quality antiques and vintage treasures in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. I see why this city became known as an antiques capital. I had to keep reminding myself “silver cutlery is a weapon at the airport”. There so many pretty things, even fine colored crystal with my name on it if you look closely.
Sunday Flea Market
We woke up a bit earlier on Sunday so we could walk around the market. I had read that the Sunday market takes over the town, but I had no idea how large this market really is, until I saw it myself. The small, narrow streets were packed with people. I can’t imagine what this village is like in the height of tourist season. This market had a section for antiques and vintage items, clothing, ceramics and much more. You bet we snagged a cachemire scarf for €20, but I really wanted some of those silver serving pieces.
I wish I could describe the incredible smells that surrounded you as you walked past each vendor. The market was flooded with the most beautiful produce direct from the farm, fruit, cheese, sausage, paella, roasting chicken and potatoes, olives, spices, nuts, lavender, soaps, candles, pastries and chocolates. It was a total assault on your senses, but in a good way. The fun part is that every seller wanted you to taste everything. Yum, now on to the food.
This concludes chapter 11, A Summer in France: L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. We’ve had a very busy week here. In my next post, Summer in France: Provence Villages, I’ll share some of the beautiful villages we visited while here in Provence. Hope you’ll join us again.
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