Robion

Towns and Villages - by Provence Beyond

Villages > Robion

Nearby:  | Aix-en-Provence 57 km | Cavaillon 6 km | Goult 13 km | Lagnes 10 km | Lourmarin 28 km | Menerbes 7 km | Oppede 5 km | Salon-de-Provence 30 km |

Below: | Commerce | History | O.T. | Dates | Transportation | Hiking | Lodging Hotels |

In the center of the center is an old fountain with a covered column that was once a well, surrounded by a tight circle of plane trees and a ring of stone benches. Off to one side of the fountain is a large old church, topped with a nice bell tower. On the other side of the fountain is the Café de la Poste, serving as a social center on Sunday mornings. The café is relatively smoke-free, with its high ceilings, and is complete with babyfoot table, old-style Wurluzer jukebox and PMU betting office.

The old village is backed by rocky cliffs, forested with pine and larch, giving it the feel of a mountain village. The Theatre de Verdure is an open-air theater, with high cliffs as the stage backdrop.

Robion was once a fortified hilltop village, further protected by the cliffs behind. Today, a walk around the back and over the top will take you along ancient cobblestone lanes and through arched gateways. The top of the ancient village is still protected by parts of the ancient defensive walls.

Commerce

There's very little commerce in the old village. Most of the shops and services are out at the main road by the traffic lights, a few minutes walk away.

History

Name
First record, 13th century Castrum Robioni

Prehistoric: Signs of neolithique occupation were found in the grottos of Jas de Juvert, Fontblanco and Boulon. ancient site of the village was at the Source of the Boulon, in the rocky hills just south of the current village.

Gallo-Roman: Gallo-Roman ruins were found at Boulon.

Medieval: The medieval village stood on the small hill at the site of the current village, fortified with two defensive walls. Ruins of the walls and the feudal castle still remain.

Office de Tourisme

at Cavaillon Tel: 0490 71 32 01

Dates

Market: The well-known Marché Paysanne is just up to road (3 km) at Coustellet, on the N100.

Transportation

Bus

Cavaillon--Apt--Forcalquier

Société Villardo-Bernard

Tel: (33) 490 74 36 10

Cavaillon--Bonnieux

Société Barlatier

Tel: (33) 490 06 64 64

Hiking

Maps:

IGN (1/25,000) #3142 OT "Cavaillon, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse"

IGN Verte (1/100,000) #67 "Marseille, Carpentras"

Robion sits at left end of the Luberon mountains. Hiking south from the village, from behind the Theatre de Verdure, takes you into the Luberon, with great hiking possibilites. The GR 6 and GR 97 (Grande Randonnée) run through the village.
To the southeast, the GR trails follow along the northern edge of the Luberon, going past Maubec and Oppède-le-Vieux before turning south across the mountains.
To the north, the GR trails cross the plains of the Coulon river valley, passing between Lagnes and Cabrières-d'Avignon and then to Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. Near Lagnes, the Mur de la Peste runs to the north.

Lodging - Hotels