Robion Provence-Beyond (Beyond the French Riviera) ® Vaucluse (84440) Population: 3,420 Altitude: 96 m Nearby: [ Cavaillon 6 km | Goult 13 | Ménerbes 7 | Oppède-le-Vieux 5 ] Photos: Robion village street steps (33 k) The central column well and fountain (32 k) Closeup of the fountain spigot (26 k) Village steps through an arch (27 k) Below: [ History | Dates | Commerce | Transportation | Hiking | Lodging ] The busy D2 highway between Cavaillon and Coustellet on the N100 is a busy road through a built-up and uninteresting area. At the traffic light in the plain looking little Robion, turn off into the old village and you'll be suddenly in another world. The center of the vieux village, only two minutes off the main road, is quiet and shady. In the center of the center is an old fountain with a covered column that was once a well, surrounded by a tight circle of plane trees and a ring of stone benches. Off to one side of the fountain is a large old church, topped with a nice bell tower. On the other side of the fountain is the Café de la Poste, serving as a social center on Sunday mornings. The café is relatively smoke-free, with its high ceilings, and is complete with babyfoot table, old-style Wurluzer jukebox and PMU betting office. The old village is backed by rocky cliffs, forested with pine and larch, giving it the feel of a mountain village. The Theatre de Verdure is an open-air theater, with high cliffs as the stage backdrop. Robion was once a fortified hilltop village, further protected by the cliffs behind. Today, a walk around the back and over the top will take you along ancient cobblestone lanes and through arched gateways. The top of the ancient village is still protected by parts of the ancient defensive walls. Name First record, 13th century: Castrum Robioni History Prehistoric: Signs of neolithique occupation were found in the grottos of Jas de Juvert, Fontblanco and Boulon. ancient site of the village was at the Source of the Boulon, in the rocky hills just south of the current village. Gallo-Roman: Gallo-Roman ruins were found at Boulon. Medieval: The medieval village stood on the small hill at the site of the current village, fortified with two defensive walls. Ruins of the walls and the feudal castle still remain. Dates, Numbers Market: The well-known Marché Paysanne is just up to road (3 km) at Coustellet, on the N100. Office de Tourisme - Tel: (33) 490 71 32 01 (at Cavaillon) Commerce There's very little commerce in the old village. Most of the shops and services are out at the main road by the traffic lights, a few minutes walk away. Transportation Two bus companies serve Robion. Cavaillon--Apt--Forcalquier Société Villardo-Bernard Tel: (33) 490 74 36 10 Cavaillon--Bonnieux Société Barlatier Tel: (33) 490 06 64 64 Camping Hiking Maps: Michelin "green" #115 (1/100,000) - "French Riviera - Alpes-Maritimes" IGN "bleue" (1:25,000) 3142 OT "Cavaillon" IGN "verte" (1:100,000) #67 "Marseille, Carpentras" Robion sits at left end of the Luberon mountains. Hiking south from the village, from behind the Theatre de Verdure, takes you into the Luberon, with great hiking possibilites. The GR 6 and GR 97 (Grande Randonnée) run through the village. To the southeast, the GR trails follow along the northern edge of the Luberon, going past Maubec and Oppède-le-Vieux before turning south across the mountains. To the north, the GR trails cross the plains of the Coulon river valley, passing between Lagnes and Cabrières-d'Avignon and then to Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. Near Lagnes, the Mur de la Peste runs to the north. Lodging Listing available