Fontaine-de-Vaucluse....

Castle ruins perched high above Fontaine-de-Vaucluse

The shaded center of town. 

The Sorgue river before it makes a left turn and enters the village 

One of the many restaurants that line the banks of the river

Last week I returned to the little village of Fontaine-de-Vaucluse which is a small town right next to the source of the Sorgue River. The river originates from a spring at the base of some towering cliffs which almost immediately turn into rapids as the water rushes down the narrow valley towards the village. The river does widen and gets a little calmer before it makes a sharp turn towards and through the town.

Since it was a relatively dry winter the force of the water coming from the spring wasn't as strong as normal but in many places it still put on quite a show. From the source to many points downstream you will see water gushing from cracks and fissures in the huge rocks that line the sides of the river. I did stick my hand in the water to check the temperature of the water about 1/4 mile downstream. Verdict: VERY COLD!

I've noticed more people the last few weeks out and about so that tells me the vacation and tourist season for the region is about to kick into high gear. People from all over the world come here for vacation with many renting houses and staying for at least 1 to 2 weeks. We recently traveled north to some new and uncharted territory which has become another favorite area of mine. I took a boatload of photos which I will upload and post with my next entry.

The pool or source of the spring. Since it was a dry winter the pool is not nearly as full as normal but still much higher than it was during my visit last fall. Downstream water is flowing from cracks in the rocks on both sides of the river. 

Just one of the many sources of water flowing from the earth immediately downstream from the spring.