Pertuis offers two practical starting points for planning a stay: historic buildings and cycling routes with starting points in town. This lets you decide early whether you would rather spend your time exploring architecture and local history or following a cycling route in the southern Luberon. The buildings span different periods and functions; for the cycling routes, the named starting points and landscape descriptions help you find your way. When looking for a hotel in Pertuis, your planned focus is therefore a useful first question.
Churches, fortifications and chapels
The Église Saint-Nicolas was built between the 15th and 16th centuries. Its architecture is considered typical of late-medieval Provence. The church is dedicated to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of boatmen. This dedication is probably connected to Pertuis’s port and ferry on the Durance.
The Tour Saint-Jacques is the last surviving tower of Pertuis’s former fortifications. Le Donjon offers a different perspective on the town’s architectural history: it is one of the rare examples of medieval military architecture in Provence. The so-called House of Queen Jeanne, in turn, is a small Mannerist palace dating from the late 16th century. These buildings represent different historical themes, from former fortifications and military architecture to a palace in the Mannerist style.
The Chapelle de la Charité was built in 1719 and combines Baroque and neoclassical elements. It is the only surviving part of Pertuis’s former Hôpital de la Charité. Today, it hosts exhibitions and concerts; visits are possible during events. If you would like to include the chapel in your plans, schedule your visit around an event. This makes the visit part of a specific programme, rather than simply an opportunity to admire the architecture.
Washhouses with distinctive features
The Lavoir Notre-Dame is a washhouse built into the rock at the eastern exit from Pertuis. It was established in 1882 in the town wall near the former Notre-Dame gate. The Lavoir Saint-Jacques has different architectural details: the current fountain and washhouse were built in 1851 by Louis Chaffard, the town’s mason. A covered washhouse with a semicircular basin made of cut stone adjoins the fountain.
Comparing the two helps show why they should not be seen as identical structures. The defining features of the Lavoir Notre-Dame are its location at the town exit, its setting in the rock, and its connection to the former gate and wall. At the Lavoir Saint-Jacques, the construction date, the named mason and the covered basin offer specific points of reference. If you are interested in local architectural history, these details illustrate two different types of washhouse.
Cycling route and orientation
Le Pays d’Aigues à vélo is a two-day route that starts and ends at Pertuis SNCF railway station. The western loop, by contrast, starts at the Pertuis Tourist Office on Place Mirabeau in the old town. This gives you two named starting points for planning your ride: the railway station for the two-day route and the square by the Tourist Office for the western loop. Check local access to the station before your trip.
The landscape descriptions also differ in emphasis. The two-day route passes through vineyards, olive groves and picturesque villages in the southern Luberon. The western loop is described as passing through vineyards and by châteaux in the southern Luberon. Along with the starting points, this gives you an idea of the landscape features highlighted in each description. As route conditions can change, it is advisable to check the latest situation before setting off.
Discover more destinations: Beaumont-Du-Ventoux, Beaumont-De-Pertuis, Violès, La Roque-Alric, Aubignan, Malaucene, Caumont-Sur-Durance, Crillon-Le-Brave.
For the overview of the wider area: Vaucluse.
