Goult

Between Cavaillon and Apt, not far from Gordes and Roussillon in the Luberon Nature Park, the peaceful hilltop village of Goult hides, behind its typically Provençal air, a rich heritage and a past that could even be qualified as illustrious.

More or less well restored, depending on the period, the hidden village of Goult presents beautiful stone and ochre buildings and monuments. Its streets are picturesque with vaulted passages, arches, a washhouse fountain, old façades and doors and the ruins of the former ramparts. Big shaded squares remind us of the sweetness of life in Provence.

During your stroll you will discover the Saint-Sébastien Church, recognizable by its roof of slate slabs and the frieze adorned with a bull's head. Romanesque, it was built in the 12th century at the same time as the château. The church has a single nave bordered by six side chapels. Its baroque altarpiece is remarkable. The chapel called Des Ormes, or Des Hommes, was added to the north gable in the 14th century.

As to the château of Agoult, it is today private property and not open to the public.

Behind the château, at the top of the village, you will find the reconstituted Jerusalem Mill. The site offers an exceptional view over the valley.

Outside the village, the Romanesque Saint-Véran chapel is lost in a pine forest amidst the vineyards. Built in the 10th century, it has been altered several times (with one particularly bad restoration in the 18th century). A second chapel can even be found within.  

In the hamlet of Lumières two kilometres from the village, a shrine was dedicated to Notre-Dame (Our Lady) of Lumières in 1699, following a series of miraculous lights - said to have saved a disemboweled man – near the chapel of La Baume. It is now a pilgrimage site and each year on August 15 the statue of the Black Virgin is taken in a procession to Saint-Michel de la Baume.

Take the time to admire the superb views aver the surroundings: Goult opens the gate to farm country with fruit tree orchards, vineyards and lavender. The terraced land is maintained and cultivated by the Conservatoire des Terrasse and worth seeing.

In July, the Honey Festival takes place

Gift from the bees, you will discover all the secrets of this precious nectar: opening a hive, extracting honey, beekeeping techniques and tastings as well as all the products made from honey such as nougat, gingerbread, mead... It is the occasion to meet beekeepers from throughout the region and also other local craftspeople. And its free!