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Luberon,Cavaillon

Saint-Remy,Glanum

Baux de Provence

Alpilles itinerary

Dentelles Montmirail-Gigondas-Sablet Seguret

Vaison la Romaine

Provence-Pernes les Fontaines

Mont Ventoux


Bedoin-Beaumes de Venise


Carpentras

Pernes-Fontaines

Isle-sur-Sorgue


Fontaine de Vaucluse


Tarascon


Pont du Gard


Montmajour
 abbey

Camargue

From Carpentras to PERNES-LES-FONTAINES, capital of the marquisat until 1320 is only 6 km. It is a less known friendly little fruit village with a certain number of sites to see.
Let’s park the car outside the city at the foot of Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth, certainly the oldest monument in Pernes. It shows all characteristics of sobriety and restrained force of the monks style. Built in the 12th century it had a few extensions as long as Pernes stayed the capital of the marquisat. In 1562 it was burnt down by the troops of a famous Protestants baron des Adrets.  The church leans on the city gate of Notre Dame which forms one unity with the bridge over the Nesque  (a chapel on one of the pillars) and was part of the 14th century city walls.

Chapel on pillar (old postcard scan)

The chapel of 1525 build on one of the pillars was  to hide the massiveness of the gate Notre Dame in an elegant way.
Pernes is worth an hour strolling and look at the special facades. Don’t leave the city without having visited the TOUR FERRANDE, not always open for the public. Better check at the tourist office at the porte Notre-Dame.
This Tour Ferrande on the place des Comtes de Toulouse is from the 13th century but nobody knows why it was built. On the third floor is the main reason why this tower should be visited: the frescos are considered the oldest ever discovered in France.

Frescoes (old postcard scan)

From about 1285 it is said. It is surprising that these frescos, looking like the famous “tapisserie de Bayeux (1085), are located in this part of France that never belonged to the Anjou family. The quality of the paintings is astounding and the scenes are remarkable of preciseness and vivacity. For most of the tourists, the tower and frescos are not a great attraction since the number of visitors a year doesn’t pass 400. Maybe more after this description? ;-)Anyway it is a supplementary reason to go and visit to see eye to eye an extraordinary reportage of 13th century newsmagazine. Ask for the key and a guide at the tourist office. To end the report on Pernes-la-Fontaine is that its name comes from the numerous fountains  (36) that are located in the village.

Bibliography

"La Provence devient francaise", by Roger Duchène (Fayard, Paris 1986)The Roman remains of Southern France", by James Bromwich (Routledge London 1993),   “Aspects of Provence”, by Pope-Henessy James (Penguin Travel 1988), “Route de Isle sur Sorgue a Carpentras (folder tourist office 1994)