Underground water tanks in Travignon

8 points of interest

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  Patrimony and history

  Saint Sat', a hilltop village

  The village of Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt is one among many hilltop villages, typical of the Luberon. From the beginning, the castle, from which remains the chapel and the medieval village, was built on the rocky spur. The modern village has extended the ruins of the Middle Ages following the topography of the rocky ridge. Two mills, one that is still intact, meets the chapel, or more correctly, the church tower.

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  Elevage et pastoralisme

  The Aiguiers (underground tanks)

  On the hills of Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt, men have built and maintained many aiguiers (Provençal term for"aigo" meaning water). These basins dug into the limestone and fed by rainwater by an ingenious system of recovery of run-off water, have long allowed the maintenance of rural housing and the watering of cattles on arid land.

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  Geology

  Groove, channel, I am ...

  the lapiaz (limestone pavements).! On cliffs, you can see grooves, ridges saturating the rock. These are "lapiés" or "lapiaz" in the singular form. The rainwater has eroded the rock by a process of dissolution to dig the channel in the limestone. The water which continues to rush into these grooves feeds the underground springs.

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  Panorama

  The treasure hunt of underground tanks

  Between Ventoux and Luberon, this wooded limestone massif is the witness of an ancient human presence. A real treasure hunt will guide you through the mountains to discover a rich heritage of stone, associated with the collection and storage of water. In contrast, the open view of the Calavon valley shows a more contemporary human activity: recent urbanisation of villages, agricultural activities in the plain ...

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  Patrimony and history

  The country of Apt, Saint-Sat', land of mountain biking

  The country of Apt, at the heart of the Luberon, has always been a renowned spot for mountain biking. Many bikers have tested their bike ranges on the rugged trails. In winter, the southern slopes of the Monts-de-Vaucluse, above Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt, proves to be one of the best places to ride in the dry area, mud-free and protected from the mistral. The Grande Traversée VTT of Vaucluse passes through here, starting from the northern side of Ventoux and towards the Luberon until Mérindol (400km).

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  Fauna

  The Eurasian-Eagle Owl

  The valleys and cliffs of Vaucluse-Monts are home to majestic raptors. They are the territory of the Eurasian-Eagle Owl, the largest nocturnal raptor of Europe (a 1.80m wingspan!). It builds its range in the steep cliffs, where it breeds and rears its young from January to June Like other Luberon raptors, their environment is subject to a prefectural order biotope protection.

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  Produits du terroir

  Truffle in the Luberon

  The truffle or "Rabasso" in Provençal, is a fungus that lives on the roots of holm oaks; white oaks but also Aleppo pines ... It was a farmer from Saint Saturnin,Joseph Talon, who started the cultivation of truffles by transplanting oak trees known to host truffles in their root system. In winter, truffle hunters and their dog go out in search of the famous black diamond. The Vaucluse department is the first French producer and Provence produces more than three-quarters of the national production.

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  Produits du terroir

  The Miller wheat from Apt, wheat from Luberon

  The Miller wheat from Apt has a strange story to it. After almost vanishing, it was found in 1983 in Buoux at a farm and where the farmer gave it to his hens. This wheat is well adapted to poor soils of the region and to droughts. Providing a meal of high quality and easily digestible, the bread made from it was once renowned in the region. The Luberon RNP, Agribio 04, some farmers, millers and bakers have decided to bring back this long-forgotten flour and bread by certifying them with the Marque Parc, so enjoy!