The history of the Bories

On the first slopes of the Monts de Vaucluse, facing the Luberon, the village des Bories, with its sheep pens, bread ovens, wine vats, wheat beating areas, alleys, enclosures and walls, bears witness to the laborious activity of countless generations. Nearly 3000 years of continuity, since the origin of the bories dates back to the Bronze Age, and the most recent ones were built in the 18th century. The Village des Bories, classified as a historical monument in 1977, is the most important collection of this dry-stone habitat, characteristic of the area around Apt, whose highest concentration of these buildings is found near Gordes.

Abandoned for more than a century, invaded by vegetation, the village suffered the ravages of time and severe destruction. It became urgent to restore it and preserve this rare example of spontaneous architecture fortunately integrated into the site by the use of raw materials in an economy of means and shapes. It is now protected, but open to visitors. Organized as a museum of rural life, it houses a collection of traditional objects and tools from the region, an archive of documentation about Gordes' past, dry-stone bories and architecture in France and around the world.

The discovery of the village des Bories is incomparable. The harmonious layout of the horizontal and vertical structures, balance between plants and rocks, the light effects of the rising and setting sun, all contribute to the original charm of a privileged location that is best appreciated in the calm and light of morning.