Interesting Visit to Carpentras France’s Oldest Synagogue

A Visit to Carpentras

It is not unusual to find us headed to Carpentras on Friday mornings for the weekly market or shopping for kid’s clothes. Carpentras is a 25-minute ride down the D-7 from the village of Sablet. As we get near, we see Notre Dame de l’Observance Church towering over Carpentras.

The city of Carpentras is located along the banks of the Auzon River. Carpentras was a commercial site used by Greek merchants in ancient times and known to Romans, first as Carpentoracte Meminorum, mentioned by Pliny, then renamed Forum Neronis (“Forum of Nero”).

Pope Clement V took up residence in Carpentras at the beginning of the Avignon Papacy, along with the Roman Curia, in 1313. It was his successor Pope John XXII who settled definitively in Avignon. Nowadays, Carpentras is a commercial center for Comtat Venaissin and is famous for the black truffle market that takes place every Friday morning during the winter months. In May and June, the strawberries from the fields around Carpentras are juicy red treats.

The Oldest Synagogue in France

The synagogue in Carpentras was built in 1367 and is France’s oldest Jewish house of worship today. Richly decorated interiors are highlighted by deep red wall hangings and a turquoise-blue domed roof. The building has several points of interest, including a 30-foot-deep ritual bath fed by a natural spring and two bakeries. Portions of the structure were restored in the 18th century and declared a historical monument in 1924.

The Carpentras tourist office offers guided tours of the synagogue.

Details:

Place Maurice Charretier
84200, Carpentras
Tel: +33 (0)4 90 63 39 97
Website

The Jewish cemetery in Carpentras is also worth a visit. In 1343, Bishop Hughes, the nephew of Pope Clement VI, who held the seat of power in Avignon then, allowed the Jewish community access to land to build the synagogue and establish a cemetery.

Continue reading here for the original blog post by Our House in Provence.