Cavaillon a City Worth Exploring for Culture and History in Provence

Cavaillon is a good-sized city east of the Durance River in Provence with a deep history linked to local agriculture. Most visitors drive straight through Cavaillon on their way to the Luberon’s perched villages and Vaucluse towns, vineyards, and lavender fields without stopping, which is a shame. Cavaillon has lots to offer, including a Gallo-Roman past, an old Jewish synagogue, and a via ferrata with great views. Below, we share why Cavaillon is worth exploring, and you should add this stop to your travel itinerary.

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Cavaillon History and Museums

Today, Cavaillon has roughly 25,000 people, making it one of the larger centres in the Vaucluse. However, long before the autoroute and big box stores arrived, the location was settled by Greeks and Romans. During the Roman era, human settlement began on Colline Saint-Jacques, the hill north of the city. While not much evidence remains of the Roman’s presence, the Marius’ Arch (named after a Roman general) dates from the 1st century AD and was classified as a Monument Historique in 1840.

©Fondation Calvert – Ville de Cavaillon

Hôtel Puyricard d’Agar

Listed as a historical monument, the Hôtel d’Agar was the stately Provencal home of the Agar family until the French Revolution. Today, it is a museum filled with various art and collectables. The garden is believed to be more than 2000 years old and includes the remains of a Roman Temple and Greek statues. During excavations in the garden, 300 Roman denarii (silver coins) were discovered.

Hôtel Puyricard d’Agar
58 Rue Liffran
84300 Cavaillon
Telephone: +33 (0)6 24 17 20 13
email: amis.dagar@gmail.com

Musée archéologique de l’Hôtel-Dieu

The Jouve family acquired some of their wealth from the silkworm industry in Provence. Mulberry trees were planted in Provence as early as the 13th century as sericulture or magnanerie in France grew and began as a supplemental income stream for some local inhabitants. Raising the silkworms, often in the attics of homes, and harvesting the silk thread was challenging but necessary for some of the poorest families. By the 19th century, there were more producers and more mechanized production, with a move away from individual spinning wheels.

Some members of the Jouve family settled in Cavaillon and began acquiring real estate to preserve the city’s culture and conserve historical monuments. One of their acquisitions included the chapel (built in 1755) of the old Hôtel-Dieu de la Ville, which a new facility had replaced. The family was determined to create a museum in the Hôtel-Dieu, and upon the death of the last sibling, the holdings were bequeathed to the Fondation Calvet. Today, managed by Fondation Calvet, le musée archéologique de l’Hôtel-Dieu houses a collection of archaeological  from Cavaillon and the region.

Musée archéologique de l’Hôtel-Dieu
Place Jean Bastide
For more information, consult this website or the tourist office.

Additional reading: Silk Art, La Vie en Soie II 

Jewish History in Cavaillon

©Musée Judéo-Comtadin

During the Middle Ages, when Jews were being driven out of country after country, the Pope offered them refuge in the French Papal States. These States were made up of Avignon and the adjoining territory called the Comtat Venaissin, and Jews could live there in relative freedom. Known as Les Juifs du Pape (the Pope’s Jews), they built active communities and even developed a new dialect, shuadit, a mix of Hebrew and Provençal.

Unfortunately, over time, these Jews found themselves subject to more and more restrictions. Eventually, they could live in only four cities, the Arba Kehilot (“holy communities”) of Avignon, Carpentras, Cavaillon, and l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. They were crammed into small ghettos called carrières, with gates that locked them in at night. The limited space forced residents to build upwards, creating medieval “skyscrapers” as many as five stories high.

Today, you can visit historical Jewish sites in the four towns of the Arba Kehilot and other towns and cities throughout Provence. Most of the cities have active Jewish communities and synagogues.

Behind the tourist office, the old Jewish quarter is on Rue Hébraïque (Hebrew Street) in Cavaillon. Its beautiful synagogue, which is now a historical monument, is no longer in use. In the museum’s basement, which once housed a matzo bakery, you will find the Musée Judéo-Comtadin. It displays Torah scrolls, ritual objects and historical documents and provides a fascinating look at French Jewish life in the region.

Ten (10) historic Jewish sites in Provence

Episcopalian Cavillon

Beginning in the 4th century AD, Cavaillon had an episcopal population. La Cathédrale Notre-Dame et Saint-Véran was built in the 12th century. The Romanesque cathedral has several side chapels and a beautiful cloister. It is currently closed for restoration work.

Notre-Dame et Saint-Véran Cathedral
Place Joseph d’Arbaud
84300 Cavaillon

Cavaillon’s Melon

There are many varieties of melons, from the ubiquitous cantaloupe to the fabulously expensive Yubari King. And the best of them all comes from Cavaillon. The melon de Cavaillon has a history that goes back to the days of the Avignon Papacy in the 14th century. The popes directed Catholic church activities from Avignon, influencing much of local agriculture. For those interested in epidemiology, the word cantaloupe comes from the Italian word cantalupo (“howling wolves”). Since the popes expected good melons, the seeds arrived in Provence from Italy.

The melon de Cavaillon (technically the Charentais) remained a local secret until the 19th century when the expanding railroad system allowed them to be quickly shipped to Paris. The Parisians went wild, and the melon de Cavaillon became the most popular melon in France.

This precious and somewhat delicate fruit remains an essential element of Cavaillon’s commercial trade, so much so that the city’s principal roundabout boasts a 9-ton concrete melon statue. This melon is so revered that in 1988, the Knights of the Order of the Melon, known as the Conférie des Chevaliers de l’Ordre du Melon, was established. These passionate men and women are dedicated to promoting the famous melon.

If you are in the region in early July, look for details on the Féria du Melon, a summer festival featuring melons and equine games. This festival now honours the orange fruit with a little Spanish-bodega-meets-the-bull-ring style. Why not have a little fun? After all, this melon has to be hand-harvested at the hottest time of the year.

Via Ferrata Cavaillon

The Via Ferrata de Cavaillon is accessible on foot. It is a 20-minute walk from the tourist office, and the view of the city is well worth the walk. According to Aixcentic, it is the only one in Europe that is so easy to reach. While you can access the via ferrata independently, hiring a guide for your first visit is highly recommended. The Tourism Office website has a list of qualified local guides.

Cavaillon’s via ferrata consists of two loops of varied lengths and difficulty. The Via Natura, recommended for first-timers, takes roughly two (2) hours to complete. The Via Souterrata is more challenging, with an extension of the first loop that takes an additional two (2) hours.

Recommended equipment: harness, helmet, Y lanyard with energy absorber, proper footwear.

Bring water, snacks, a hat, sunglasses, gloves, and a backpack.

Visitor Information for Cavaillon

Tourism Office (website)
Place François Tourel
84300 Cavaillon

Here is some additional information for the Via Ferrata.

Melon Recipes and More

The Cavaillon melon is an orange-fleshed gourd and is a sweet cousin of the potimarron (red kuri) squash and the courge (a butternut varietal that looks like a Halloween pumpkin).

Shopping Tip: Pick your melon based on weight, the heavier, the better). The stem should be loose with tiny cracks so the perfumed aroma can escape. In the case of the Charentais melon, the number of green stripes is also a ripeness clue—ideally, you want a count of 10 stripes.

Cold Melon Soup Starter

This is one of my preferred recipes: it's very simple and easy to make but incredibly good, and all your guests will enjoy it so much. Now, as the main ingredient is melon, you should choose a really good one, as that will make the difference. You might be tempted to add something. Well, I did initially, and then I just reduced the ingredients to the minimum, and that's simply perfect.

Check out this recipe

My Provençal Salad

This salad plate is a cross between carpaccio and salad. Prepare the tapenade and pesto in advance. Shop for the fresh melon, lettuce leaves and tomatoes at the market in the morning and then plate the ingredients in time for lunch.

Check out this recipe

Summer fruit salad with Rosé reduction & mint

Melon, Raspberries and Nectarines are the base for this medley of summer's best, swimming in a Rosé reduction and tossed with fresh mint.

Check out this recipe

Carolyne Kauser-Abbott

With her camera and laptop close at hand, Carolyne has traded in her business suits for the world of freelance writing and blogging. Her first airplane ride at six months of age was her introduction to the exciting world of travel.

While in Provence, Carolyne can be found hiking with friends, riding the hills around the Alpilles or tackling Mont Ventoux. Her attachment to the region resonates in Perfectly Provence this digital magazine that she launched in 2014. This website is an opportunity to explore the best of the Mediterranean lifestyle (food & wine, places to stay, expat stories, books on the region, travel tips, real estate tips and more), through our contributors' articles.

Carolyne writes a food and travel blog Ginger and Nutmeg. Carolyne’s freelance articles can be found in Global Living Magazine, Avenue Magazine and City Palate (Published Travel Articles).