Provence: Fontaine-de-Vaucluse
Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is a commune in the southeastern French department of Vaucluse. In 2018, it had a population of 585. Its name comes from the spring of the same name; the name Vaucluse itself comes from the Latin phrase vallis clausa or "closed valley"
The village of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse is best known for its phenomenal spring water and the mysterious source of the emerald Sorgue River which gushes from the mountain with a strength nearly unequalled in Europe. Scientists, who have so far been unable to pinpoint the river's source, believe it is the culmination of an immense underground network of waters, whose pressure pushes it out of the ground. It has an average flow of 630 million cubic meters per year, the biggest in France and the 5th largest worldwide.
In the 50s, Jacques Yves Cousteau came with a submersible to explore the depths but did not find the bottom. Since then a probe has made it to a sandy bed at a depth of 308 meters/1010 feet but the spring itself comes from somewhere even deeper. It is said that all the rainwater from the Luberon and other surrounding mountains comes out of this one source, making a catchment area of 1100 square km/425 sq. miles. For most of the year all you can see is a deep blue green pool of water at the bottom of towering cliffs. But during spring or very heavy rainfall it lives up to its name, with water gushing out at 200m3/52,000 gallons every second - this is one of the largest springs in the world.
I walked along the Chemin de la Fontaine which follows La Sorgue river all the way to the spring itself, the actual Fontaine de Vaucluse. Situated at the foot of a steep limestone cliff 230 meters/755 feet high, the source of the Sorgue spring can be seen in a huge cave. Sadly, during the time I was there I did not get to experience the gushing water…just enjoyed seeing the pool.
I was in awe of the color of the water, it was emerald green and alive and clear and truly spectacular.
Needless to say, this mystical source of water has long been the source of legend…
“Having gone out to dance with the girls of Isle sur la Sorgue one hot day, the old fiddler Basile fell asleep in the shade, on the road called Chemin de Vaucluse. A nymph as beautiful as the clear waters appeared, took the sleeping man's hand and led him to the edge of the basin where the Sorgue river opens out. Before them, the waters parted and let them descend between two walls of liquid crystal to the bottom of the chasm. After a long underground walk, the nymph, in the middle of a cheerful prairie sown with supernatural flowers, stopped the fiddler in front of 7 big diamonds. Lifting one of them, she made a strong fountain of water gush forth. And lo, she said, the secret of the spring of which I am the guardian. To make it swell, I take away the diamonds ; with the seventh, the water reaches "the fig tree that drinks only once a year", and she disappeared as she awoke Basile from his slumber.”
Creepy Ice Cream Guy
Walking back from the Fontaine de Vaucluse I ran into this guy. Is it just me, or has this pretty much cured you from ever wanting another ice cream again?!? Was someone on a diet and just needed extra inspiration? I mean, ice cream and gelato are a European summer past time…but seriously, this is clearly a “JUST SAY NO!” ad if I’ve ever seen one.
