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Peyrolles-en-Provence, once a fortified Medieval village, is now a small farming and wine-growing town on the flood-plains of the Durance river south of the Luberon and north of the Montagne Sainte Victoire.
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Also: |
Aix-en-Provence Historic Itinerary Northeast |
Lost Railways of Provence |
Nearby: |
Aix-en-Provence 22 km |
Cadenet 25 km |
Grambois 22 km |
Jouques 5 km |
Manosque 31 km |
Meyrargues 5 km |
Mirabeau 12 km |
Pertuis 13 km |
Rians 17 km |
Tour-d'Aigues 18 km |
Vauvenargues 21 km |
Venelles 11 km |
Vinon-sur-Verdon 22 km |
Hotels near Peyrolles-en-Provence: |
11 km Venelles |
13 km Pertuis |
22 km Aix-en-Provence |
25 km Cadenet |
31 km Manosque |
The Medieval Vieille Ville of Peyrolles is only a small part of this busy place, but it has a very picturesque entry through an arched portail beneath a tall clock tower with its iron campanile.
In the old part of town the ancient Romanesque chateau of Roi René sits as a massive rectangular block, last restored in the 17th century. Today it serves also as the Town Hall (Mairie).
All of this defensive part is along the north side of town, facing attacks from the north. But the most serious enemy over the centuries has been the Durance, with its periodic flooding.
The oldest part of Peyrolles-en-Provence is on the south side of road, where the pretty little Chapelle du Saint Sepulcre sits on a low hill, the site of the first castrum dating back to the 9th or 10th century.
Peyrolles is a quiet little town during the "off season", but in the summer time there are constant activities, fetes and celebrations going on.
History
Name
First record, 12th century Castrum de Petrollio, then Peyrolas.
Medieval:
Domain of the Archbishops of Aix-en-Provence from the 12th century. Acquired by King René in the 15th century. Reunited with the Royal domain in 1487, then acquired by the Baron of Oppède.
Office de Tourisme
Tel (Mairie): 0442 578 005; Fax: 0442 670 519
Web: perso.wanadoo.fr/mairie.peyrolles/
Email: Mairie.Peyrolles@wanadoo.fr
Transportation Peyrolles-en-Provence
Bus
Bus Marseille - Digne - Barcelonnette
The Marseille - Digne-les-Bains - Barcelonnette bus route is: Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Meyrargues, Peyrolles, Mirabeau, Corbières, Sainte Tulle, Manosque, Volx, Villeneuve, La Brillanne, Oraison, Les Pourcelles, Dabisse, Peyruis, Les Mées, Malijai, Mallemoisson, Aiglun, Digne-les-Bains, La Javie, Col de Maure, Seyne-les-Alpes, Montclar, Saint Vincent, Barcelonnette.
Trip time is 4 hrs (Marseille - Manosque 1h20; Manosque - Digne 1hr10; Digne - Barcelonnette 1h30).
The route and schedule is available on the SCAL-Autocars website (link just below).
Web: www.scal-amv-voyages.com/ligne.htm
Bus Marseille - Gap - Briancon
The Marseille - Gap - Briancon bus route is: Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Meyrargues, Peyrolles, Mirabeau, Corbières, Sainte Tulle, Manosque, Volx, Villeneuve, La Brillanne, Lurs, Peyruis, Saint Auban, Chateau-Arnoux, Volonne, Peipin, Les Bons Enfants, Sisteron, Le Poet, Rourebeau, Le Beynon, Valenty, Monetier-Allemont, Le Vivas, La Saulce, Tallard, Chateauvieux, La Tourronde, Gap; La Batie Neuve, Chorges, Savines, Embrun, Chateauroux, Guillestre, Mont-Dauphin, L'Argentière, Briançon.
Trip time Marseille - Gap is 3h15 (Marseille - Manosque 1h20; Manosque - Sisteron 0h50; Sisteron - Gap 1hr). The separate bus between Gap and Briançon is just under 2 hours.
The route and schedule is available on the SCAL-Autocars website (link just below).
Web: www.scal-amv-voyages.com/ligne.htm
Marseille - Gréoux - Riez Bus
LER line 27, 3 buses/day, between Marseille and Riez, trip time 2 hrs. Stops: Marseille, Aix-en-Provence, Venelles, Meyrargues, Peyrolles, Pont Mirabeau, St Paul-lez-Durance, Vinon, Gréoux-les-Bains, St Martin-de-Bromes, Allemagne-en-Provence, Riez.
• Link to schedules (PDF).
(LER line 27 between Riez, Roumoules, Moustiers, Lapalud, Rougon, Pont de Soleil, Castellane; 1 bus a day; 1-1/2 hrs; on demand only?)
Hiking
Maps:
IGN (1/25,000) #3243 OT "Pertuis, Lourmarin"
IGN (1/25,000) #3244 ET "Ste Victoire, Gardanne, Trets"
is "on the fold" of the two IGN maps. The northern part (#3243 OT) has the flood plain directly around the village and isn't really hikeable. Across the Durance, of course, the nearby villages just a few km away have some hiking.
South of Peyrolles (#3244 ET) is the Peyrolles-en-Provence communal forest with some hiking trails, including the short loop-hike "Sentier de découverte". The forested area and trails extends west to Meyrargues and east to Jouques.
Lodging - Hotels
Hotels in Towns Nearby to Peyrolles-en-Provence
• 11 km — Venelles hotels
• 13 km — Pertuis hotels
• 22 km — Aix-en-Provence hotels
• 25 km — Cadenet hotels
• 31 km — Manosque hotels
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Photo gallery of 3 photos for Peyrolles-en-Provence