La Roque-sur-Pernes is a town in the Vaucluse, in the Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur region, 32 km east of Avignon.
The communal territory of 11 km ² culminates at 502 m of altitude and the borough itself is implanted in the extreme southwest of the mountains of Vaucluse, a solid mass in the limestone and permeable, which explains the presence of numerous galleries, springs and fountains.
Occupied since prehistoric times, the site is home to an oppidum during the Gallo-Roman era. In the eleventh century, a castle is erected. The population can then take refuge in the citadel during troubles and wars.
Victim of the rural exodus, La Roque-sur-Pernes hosts about twenty families from the Banat (Romania) in the 1950s. Persecuted during the Second World War, these refugees were descendants of Lorraine and Alsatian settlers called to dry and then cultivate the lands of this region then dependent on the Austrian Empire in the eighteenth century.
La Roque-sur-Pernes now has nearly 430 inhabitants. Agriculture retains an important place: wines appellation controlled Ventoux, arboriculture (cherry trees, olive trees, almond trees), truffle oaks.
In the heart of the Luberon, the picturesque charm of the village gives it a postcard face. Attached to the rock, it has been restored and its heritage is highlighted, which delight visitors in search of authenticity. A detour is required!
The discovery of the historic heart of the village can be the opportunity for a pleasant stroll through the narrow streets in which, near the ancient walls, there are magnificent views of the plain.
You can visit the church of St. Peter and Paul, Romanesque style, remodeled in the fifteenth and nineteenth century. Inside, is housed a bust of St. Anthony, patron of the village, carved in the seventeenth century by Comtadin Bernus. In addition, more recently, a triptych has been installed that recalls the dramatic epic of Banat refugees.
Remodeled and restored, the old medieval castle remains a private property and does not visit. On the other hand, on the Place de la Fontaine at the Portail Haut, there are the remains of the old communal oil mill, called the blood mill.
Other fountains and laundries will mark this course: the fountain of the Portail Bas, the wash house and the fountain of Fontvieille. In general, the charm of cobbled streets lined with stone walls (also called calades) and the facades of homes will appeal to lovers of authenticity.
A break can also be considered at the House of Local History, rue du Portail Haut, where collections of costumes and antiques are presented. Free entry. Open on Tuesdays from 4.30 pm to 6.30 pm, Wednesday and Saturday from 10 am to 12 pm. For other time slots, book at +33 6 13 23 18 79.
Away from the village, in areas formerly devoted to pastoralism, there are many bories, dry stone huts used as shelters for shepherds.
Finally, on the hamlet of Barbarenque, on the border of the neighboring town of Beaucet, to see, the memorial raised in homage to young resistance fighters maquis shot by the Germans August 2, 1944.
Between the village, the bories, the areas still cultivated on the plateau or on the slopes, many hikes are possible, which allow to enjoy splendid panoramas on the Luberon countryside. Steps can be considered in wine growers or art craft shops.
Brochures and information on +33 4 90 66 11 66.
