L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, located between the Luberon, Ventoux and Alpilles, boasts slow tourism, local gastronomy and a strong textile heritage. Bathed by the Sorgue, from which it draws its wealth, the city has established itself as the capital of French bargain hunters and second-hand dealers, who come from all over the world to stroll its quays and picturesque alleyways. In search of a gentle Provençal lifestyle.
The Vaucluse docks in Venice
It was nicknamed Comtadine Venice or Venice of Vaucluse. Here, water is everywhere all year round and flows through canals into the heart of the small town centre. The city derives its richness and originality from Sorg. This wild river originates from the Fontaine de Vaucluse, the largest outlet in mainland France. Water thus occupies a primeval place in the life and history of the city. To understand it, just follow the wheel route suggested by the tourist office. More than 2km long, this pedestrian route runs along the cool waters of Sorgi to discover paddle wheels, remnants of the textile industry that ensured the city’s prosperity.
Poet and resistance fighter René Char, a prominent son of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, where he was born on June 14, 1907, wrote to a friend in 1942 “… Watch the last wheels turn on the Sorg, measure the abundant length of their foam, calculate the weathered resistance of their boards, trust in a low voice to the wild waters we love so much…” Winding its way from the alleyways to the quays, passing through some squares and terraces, Sorg offers the city a certain charm and great tourism value. From the heart of the town, a 20- to 30-minute interpretive trail leads to the Partage des Eaux, where the Sorgue splits into two arms, giving rise to the Sorgue de Velleron and the Sorgue d’Entraigues. Family walks are appreciated by L’Islois and tourists alike, it is also a nature reserve and a popular picnic spot. Go there on weekdays to avoid the crowds.
Ancient villages
The appointment is given. The French capital of flea markets, antiques and design, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue has been attracting antiques, second-hand dealers, artisans and artists for 60 years. During the whole year, the six ancient villages of the city bring together about 300 exhibitions. The major Easter and autumn fairs, highlights of the local calendar, attract up to 10,000 visitors and 500 exhibitors from around the world. The town then transforms into an open-air gallery where art lovers, curious tourists and antique dealers looking for one-of-a-kind pieces stroll from stand to stand, taking advantage of the mild fall. Throughout the year the galleries are open Friday to Monday and Easter Thursday to All Saints Day. Isle-sur-la-Sorgue thus offers an alternative to the usual lethargy of Sundays and Mondays in small towns.
Each village has its own characteristics. Industrial lights, pottery, aviation parts, religious art paintings, if experienced users know which porch to go to find a rare piece, one day bargain hunters may be swayed by their curiosity and the flow of the crowd. Opened in 2021 under the magnificent Eiffel-style framework of a former 19th-century spinning mill, the New VAG space clears away preconceived notions about the world of used goods and antiques. The first antiques village on L’Isle sur la Sorgue, opened in 1978, the Village des Antiquaires de la Gare now houses this space where vintage pieces, second-hand clothes and designer items come together in a modern and rejuvenated spirit. The idea. Attract new customers, especially young people.
Open to the street or gardens, where the eyes no longer know where to rest, each of the galleries asserts its own identity. So lovers of furniture from the 16th to the 20th centuries will feast on the luxurious décor of the Hôtel Dongier, while the Île aux Brocantes entices with its tree-lined boxes, where people come in search of freshness, weaving between industrial furniture and the garden. .
Skeptics unmoved by antiques will detour to the store Garden side, a 1,000 m² showroom displaying vintage toys, dilapidated furniture, linens, enamel signs and other curiosities. According to familiarity and budget, visitors can freely allow themselves to be carried from gallery to gallery and along the piers by objects that pique their interest.
Market, inexplicable event
L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue also owes its infamy to its traditional Provençal market. On Thursday and Sunday mornings, gourmets gather from all over the department and even beyond to come and soak up the colors and aromas of Provence. Pedestrian traffic around the church of the Collège Notre-Dame-des-Anges is sometimes difficult. Greengrocers, winemakers, food trucks, olive oil producers, cheese makers, bakers and butchers, some 230 exhibitors take over the narrow streets of the city center and the shores of Sorgi. Strawberries from Carpentras, candied fruit, melon from Cavaillon, Muscat from Ventoux or black truffles from Vaucluse offer a gourmet dive into the terroir. At the end of the morning, it is nice to prepare a picnic with regional products that we will taste in the city park of Gauthier, in the shadow of the magnificent castle.
Along the river, the lucky ones can take part in the Nego Chin training. A typical Sorgue boat, this flat-bottomed boat that resembles a gondola was once used by local fishermen. The Nègo Chin Island Association perpetuates the tradition and often organizes races on Sunday mornings in the summer. The helmsman must use the pole to maintain the direction and progress of his boat without losing balance in order to ascend the current and pass under the bridges. On the first Sunday in August, part of the market is even moved to the water. Fruits, vegetables, lavender and soaps are then loaded onto the Nego Chin and sold by costumed merchants. A local and unique tradition not to be missed.
La Filaventure, a story woven through the ages
Another highlight of the trip to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. take a trip back in time by visiting Filaventure Brun de Vian-Tiran. A major textile manufacturer in the 12th century, L’Isle thrived during the Industrial Revolution, setting up factories on the water’s edge, taking advantage of the hydraulic power supplied by the Sorg, a veritable source of power. Brun de Vian-Tira, which has been in business since 1808, is the only textile factory still in operation. The opportunity was too good to expose this know-how to the general public.
A museum was opened on the first floor of the shop in one wing of the factory. Merino, alpaca, cashmere, from the Krai plains to Mongolia, a sensory and interactive journey takes us to discover the world’s most beautiful wool. Through interactive maps, videos and a laboratory of innovation and design, visitors discover ancestral and unique knowledge. The Circuit 1808 combines a city tour, a unique visit to the factory workshops and a museum. From a thread of wool to a thread of history, it is the entire heritage of L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue that we unveil here.
Source: Le Figaro
