In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · France
Gordes
Half a day to a full day: see the hilltop village, the castle and the Sénanque abbey, then move on. One night if you want a quiet Provençal evening.
Gordes is a classic Luberon hill village, famous for its stone houses cascading down a cliff and the Cistercian Abbaye de Sénanque surrounded by lavender fields. The village itself is small — the castle, a few museums and the bories (dry-stone huts) can be seen in a few hours. Most travellers use it as a half-day stop between Avignon and the Luberon, or as a base for a quiet night.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowded, hot, lavender harvest ends mid-July)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €60–90 excl. bed · Mid €90–150 excl. bed · High €150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire and ambulance 18 · European emergency number 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee (espresso at a café) | €2–3 |
| Lunch menu (plat du jour) | €15–22 |
| Dinner (three courses, no wine) | €30–45 |
| Beer (pint / demi) | €5–7 / €3–4 |
| Château de Gordes entry | €8–12 (check) |
| Abbaye de Sénanque guided tour | €8–10 (check) |
| 5 km (3.1 mi) taxi3.1 mi (5 km) taxi | €15–20 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AVN · Avignon-Provence Airport
- About 30 km (19 mi); taxi or rental car, about 40 minAbout 19 mi (30 km); taxi or rental car, about 40 min
- MRS · Marseille Provence Airport
- About 80 km (50 mi); car or shuttle to Avignon TGV then bus, about 1.5 hAbout 50 mi (80 km); car or shuttle to Avignon TGV then bus, about 1.5 h
Typical fares
- Avignon TGV → Gordes (taxi)
- about €50–70, about 40 min (check)
- Gordes village parking, one day
- about €8 (check)
- Château de Gordes entry
- about €8–12 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The village is walkable on foot. A car is needed for the abbey, bories and nearby villages. Parking is limited in high season; use the pay lot at the entrance.
See and do
Known for
- Hilltop stone village with panoramic views
- Château de Gordes (Renaissance castle)
- Abbaye de Sénanque and its lavender fields
- Village des Bories (dry-stone huts)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Avignon | Car via D2 and A7, about 40 min | About 45 min |
| Carpentras | Car via D2 and D942, about 25 min | About 30 min |
| L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue | Car via D2 and D938, about 20 min | About 25 min |
| Apt | Car via D2 and D943, about 15 min | About 20 min |
| Vaison-la-Romaine | Car via D2 and D938, about 35 min | About 40 min |
Sleep
- Gordes village centre
- Hotels and B&Bs in the old stone houses; quiet at night, parking can be tight.
- Roads into the village (D2, D15)
- Larger hotels with pools and parking; a 10–20 min walk or short drive to the centre.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Good day | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| Please | S'il vous plaîtseel voo pleh |
| Excuse me | Excusez-moiex-kyoo-zay mwah |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-byen sa koot |
| Where is…? | Où est… ?oo eh |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Parking fills by 10:00 in July–August; arrive early or park in the lower lot and walk up.
- Lavender at Sénanque is usually in bloom mid-June to mid-July; outside that, the fields are green or harvested.
- Restaurants in the centre are tourist-priced; walk 5 min off the main square for better value.
Very safe. The main risks are summer heat (carry water) and narrow streets with no pavements — watch for cars. Pickpocketing is rare but keep valuables out of sight in crowds.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Gordes yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Hilltop stone village with panoramic views
- Château de Gordes (Renaissance castle)
- Abbaye de Sénanque and its lavender fields
- Village des Bories (dry-stone huts)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Gordes, revision 5060983 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5060983
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/gordes). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.