But here's a warning: approach it from afar, like from the vantage point below, seeing the village in its medieval light, far from the tourist hordes (and believe me -- today was a Sunday in June -- and the village was packed). Observe how the houses are built in concentric circles, rising dizzyingly above the Calavon plains, and up to the church at the summit. To be more precise, it's the renaissance castle that sits at the summit, not the church; but the castle is partially blocked in this view, though you can make out its upper left side...
Now walk down to the very bottom of the village, where there are no stores, and thus no tourists (a chicken and egg conundrum: do the stores bring the tourists or do the tourists bring the stores?).
Beautiful sets of cobbled steps lead from the very base of the village to its summit, complete with old archways and centuries-old buildings.
Just before making it to the top...
...where I stayed all of two minutes before beginning the day's walk, a 10km loop to see the famed Sénanque Abbey. One needs only 10 minutes of walking past the village centre to lose the crowds, and be among landscapes like the one below, a picture taken before my descent into the Sénancole Valley, where the monks chose to build their abbey...
... where I arrived after about 90 minutes of walking, and found the crowds once again. The lavender fields in front of the abbey were not quite in total bloom, and so unfortunately no photos here...
From the abbey the GR (grande randonnée) path is hidden, and takes someone who knows to find it. It climbs steadily above the abbey, where you get some great aerial views, and then reaches the pass that joins the village of Gordes. But no roads for me!: another path descends alongside dry-stone walls and huts, and leads back to the village.
A great walk. Highly recommended!
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