L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue "La Venise de Provence" Vaucluse (84800) Population: 15,600 Altitude: 59 m Nearby: [ Avignon 23 km | Cavaillon 10 | Carpentras 17 | Fontaine-de-Vaucluse 7 | Lagnes 6 | Orange 40 | Pernes-les-Fontaines 11 | le Thor 5 | Alpilles ] Photos: A river canal along the edge of the town (21 k) Two big waterwheels in another part of town (23 k) A santon of a painter at work (18 k) Below: [ History | Dates | Commerce | Park | Cycling | Hiking | Lodging ] This compact medieval town is built on the islands of five branches of the Sorgue river, 7 km downstream from its source at Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. The river flows through, past, in and around the town, in its many natural beds and several canals. Even without gondolas, water adds a special beauty and character to a town. Sorgue has its many river branches and canals, huge overhanging plane trees and several large, lovely waterwheels. Even if the many mills are no longer working, some of the waterwheels still turn. The imposing Notre-Dame-des-Anges church in the center of the "vieille ville" was a Collegial church in 1222. Rebuilt in the 17th century, three sides still show signs of its age; the front is refurbished, and includes a lovely clock showing the time, date and phases of the moon. The church is surrounded by cafés and shops, and the many shopping streets radiating out from this center have mouth-watering smells and window displays. Name First record, 1126: Isla, the name of the primitive town on an island in the Sorgue river; succeeding names were St-Laurent, L'Isle, L'Isle en Venayssin and L'Isle en Venise. In the 19th century, the railway named the town L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. History Gallo-Roman: A castrum was located at Vélorgues, 2 km south, where there are Gallo-Roman remains. Medieval: The town was in the fief of the Count of Provence, then of the Count of Toulouse and finally of Saint-Siége; it was franchised in the 13th century. In the 14th century, the Popes of Avignon fortified the town, making it a place of refuge for the surrounding villages during the Wars of Religion. In spite of divine protection, Sorgue was ravaged by epidemics of the plague in 1458, 1628, 1629 and 1721, followed by cholera in 1837 and 1854. Hard times continued during the Revolution, when the town was sacked and burned by the troups of the Convention (1793), and then besieged for five years by the Convention's Thermidorienne reaction. To maintain the rhythm, the town was bombed by the Allies in 1944. Dates, Numbers Market day: Thur, Sun mornings; daily during the summer Antique Market (Puce): Sunday all day Foire: closest Thur to 15 Nov; 28 Oct at St-Laurent Foire à la Brocante: Easter and 15 Aug. Festival de la Sorgue: 2nd-4th weeks July Corso Nautique: 25-26 July Fête Nautique: first week Aug. Fête du Partage des Eaux: 10 Aug. Fête St. Cézaire: last week Aug. Office de Tourisme - Tel: (33) 490 38 04 78; Fax: (33) 490 38 35 43 Commerce L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is a good-sized town, and a popular tourist site appearing in printed guidebooks. The Office de Tourisme has lists of hotels, campsites and furnished rentals. The shopping streets are extensive, with a very wide variety of shops of all kinds. Antiques - Le Quai de la Gare This group of 30 antique shops is located across from the railway station. Open: weekends and holidays, 10h-19h Park The Parc Gautier is located just outside the center of the town, near the railway line. It's very large, grassy and shaded by giant plane trees, with plenty of other trees and foliage, an excellent place for picnicking away from the crowds on a hot summer day. Golfing Cycling A VTT (Mountain Biking) rental shop is located near the front of the railway station; tel: (33) 490 20 29 36. Camping Hiking Maps: IGN "bleue" (1:25,000) 3042 ouest "Cavaillon" IGN "verte" (1:100,000) #66 "Avignon, Montpellier" (Isle/Sorgue and west) IGN "verte" (1:100,000) #67 "Marseille, Carpentras" (Isle/Sorgue and east) Didier Richard (1:50,000) #27 "Ventoux" L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue has no hiking trails at the village, which sits in the rich farmland of the Sorgue, but the Plateau de Vaucluse begins immediately to the northeast. Check out the hiking information for Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, 7 km to the east. Lodging Listing available