4 Best Sights in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, Provence

Fontaine has its own ruined château, perched romantically on a forested hilltop over the town and illuminated at night. First built around the year 1000 and embellished in the 14th century by the bishops of Cavaillon, the castle was destroyed in the 15th century and forms little more than a sawtooth silhouette against the sky.

There's no exaggerating the magnificence of the Fontaine de Vaucluse, a mysterious spring that gushes from a deep underground source that has been explored to a depth of 1,010 feet—so far. Framed by towering cliffs, a broad, pure pool wells up and spews dramatically over massive rocks down a gorge to the village, where its roar soothes and its spray cools the visitors who crowd the riverfront cafés. You must pay to park, and then run a gauntlet of souvenir shops and tourist traps on your way up to the source of the water.

The great Renaissance poet Petrarch, driven mad with unrequited love for a beautiful married woman named Laura, retreated to this valley to nurse his heartache in a cabin with "one dog and only two servants." He had met the woman in the heady social scene at the papal court in Avignon, where she was to die years later of the plague. Sixteen years in this wild isolation didn't ease the pain, but the serene environment inspired him to poetry, and the lyrics of his Canzoniere were dedicated to Laura's memory. The small museum, built on the site of his residence, displays prints and engravings of the virtuous lovers, both in Avignon and Fontaine de Vaucluse.

Fontaine was once an industrial center, but its mills and factories were closed by strikes in 1968, and most never recovered. To learn more about this aspect of the town, consider visiting this working paper mill. Its reconstructed,15th-century waterwheel drives timber crankshafts to mix rag pulp, and its artisans roll and dry thick paper à l'ancienne (in the old manner). The process is fascinating and free to watch, though it's almost impossible to resist buying the pretty note cards, posters, and even lamp shades in the on-site boutique. If you're feeling creative, you can make your own sheet during the paper-making experience (€15 per person). There are also 30-minute guided mill tours (€5, minimum of 10 people). Book either option online in advance.