Goult Provence-Beyond (Beyond the French Riviera) ® Vaucluse (84220) Population: 1,280 Altitude: 278 m Nearby: [ Apt 14 km | Bonnieux 7 | Cavaillon 18 | Gordes 7 | Lacoste 6 | Ménerbes 6 | Robion 13 | Roussillon 6 ] Photos: 1 Old buildings through archway (28 k) 2 Village street and terrace cafe (37 k) 3 Stone walls "growing" from stone foundations (29 k) 4 Village street and Epicerie (30 k) 5 Lumières Village street and shops (33 k) 6 Lumières Hostellerie across river and village hill (27 k) 7 Restaurant Bonnieux Gare 32( k) Below: [ Reader's Comments | History | Dates | Commerce | Dining | Wine | Hiking | Lodging ] Goult is an ancient fortified hilltop village, overlooking the northern plains towards the Plateau de Vaucluse (with Gordes in the distance) and towards the Luberon mountains to the south. The village is ranged along a low ridge extending down from the watchtower at the top of the hill. The well-restored buildings that seem to grow up out of the living rock [photo-3] are built of the same natural stone. The narrow lanes are walled with stone and sometimes the solid rock, with arched doorways and vaulted passages. One 14th-century porte is in its original state. At the village center is a massive buttrassed Romanesque church with clock tower and small campanile. Reader's Comments From Beyond reader Andrew, 17 Sept 97: Goult, NW of the Pont Julien. It is perched on a hill like many of the villages, and has some streets carved out of living rock, like Les Beaux de Provence. There is a little park with a viewpoint on the summit, looking back towards Gordes. There is also an old fortified tower and a public promenade in old olive groves on the South side of the town hill. The town church is also nice. It also appeared to have some very tasty looking restaurants on the back streets. Lumières This tiny village, or hamlet, is apparently in the commune of Goult. Sitting off to the side of the now bypassing N100 highway, there's a nice old stone church in a huddle of buildings at the foot of the forested, rock cliffs. The little Imergue river runs down the valley from the north just before joining the Calavon. A walk around behind the Hotellerie and you'll find a lovely quiet park along the rive side. The Cave de Lumières is the local cooperative for the Côtes du Luberon wine. Name First record, 1031: Agoldum History Prehistoric: There was a neolithic oppidum at Roques, between Goult and St-Pantaléon to the northwest. Neolithic artifacts found here included weapons and silex items. Roman: Roman ruins and artifacts found in the region include sculpted alter stones at St-Véran and an alter of nymphs in a grotto. A paleochristian cemetery at St-Michel-de-la-Baume has tombs carved in the stone. Medieval: Goult was ruled successively by the lords of Agoult, Simiane and Sade; from 1592 until the revolution it was ruled by Denis. Village fortifications served well against attacks by the Huguenots. Dates, Numbers Market: Monday afternoon Fête Patronale: 3rd Sun Sept Fête at Lumières: last Sun June Office de Tourisme - Tel: (33) 494 00 00 00 Commerce Some typical village commerce, other than the ubiquitous Café la Poste, included an épicerie, boulangerie and a couple of boucheries. Dining Le Tonneau The only "choice" was a 146 F menu. No Visa or Carte Bleue, but American Express OK. La Bartavelle Possibly nice, but closed on the Sunday we were there. Café Restaurante de la Gare de Bonnieux This fine little restaurant [photo-7] is about 3 km away, 1 km down the D36 on the other side of the N100 highway. It's at the old railway station, now on the bicycle trail between Cavaillon and Apt. The restaurant is very nice, with an outdoor terrasse looking across the fields towards Bonnieux and Lacoste. It's not too big so reserving for weekends is recommended. The last train came through here about 15 years ago, and the tracks have been taken out in favor of the Cavaillon-Apt-Forcalquier cycling path, so it's pretty quiet. - Menus at 65 F (weekdays), 95 F, 125 F. Wine The local vineyards produce Côtes-du-Ventoux, an aoc wine from in the Côte du Rhône region. Cycling The Luberon cycling path passes about a km to the south, below the N100 highway. You can rent VTT bikes at the old Gare de Bonnieux railway station (see Dining, above). Hiking Maps: IGN "bleue" (1:25,000) 3142 est "Apt, Bonnieux" Didier Richard (1:50,000) #14 "Luberon" There are some local loop hiking trails going west from the village and into the hills around Lumières. About 3 km south of Goult, past Ménerbes and Lacoste, you have the Luberon mountains with its network of excellent hiking trails, including the GR 6, GR 97 (Grande Randonnée) trails. Lodging Listing available