Day 22, Oppede le vieux, Roussillon, Gordes, Fontaine de Vaucluse, L'isle sur la sorge

Today we had another long car ride ahead of us. We wanted to explore the mountain villages of Luberon. First stop on our mountain stage was Oppede le vieux. The parking lot is located just outside the village and due to the freezing cold, we decided not to hike up. After all, there were more villages on the agenda. Next stop Roussillon: what we read turned out to be true. The whole village shines in shades of red, competing with the surrounding landscape. But one could expect that from the capital of ochre mining. After a short walk, we had lunch at a simple but cozy bistro (it was the only one open).

It is quite difficult in the countryside during the off-season. Many restaurants and shops are completely closed, many are only open on a few days.

In Gordes, we were actually a bit scared. Although the village is much larger than Oppede le vieux or Roussillon, it is even more deserted. We felt as if we were in a ghost town and quickly fled. We had planned our overnight stay in L'isle sur la sorgue. But before that, we wanted to visit the Fontaine de Vaucluse. After about a 15-minute walk, we were able to admire this truly magical place. It was a special moment to see the source from a hilltop. Below us, turquoise water, above us, steep mountains. We were glad to be here during the off-season, as it was already quite crowded today. Truly touched by this landscape, we made our way to the Grand Hotel Henri in L'isle sur la sorgue. An exquisite old house, which has been renovated but has retained its charm. Once again, we were granted an upgrade (no idea what's going on there) and we spent the night in a super beautiful room. We only briefly explored the town, known as the Venice of France, as almost all shops are closed on Mondays. But even on a quick visit, the many bridges and rivers could impress us. For dinner, we reserved a table at Petit Henri in the hotel. The menu looks very good but also very expensive, the service is friendly, the decor is lovely. During dinner, it becomes clear that they are waiting for a Michelin star here. From our point of view, there is still a lot missing for that. It's tasty and good but only good.