Discover Saint-Saturnin-Lès-Apt

Saint-Saturnin-Lès-Apt sits on a rocky outcrop and offers panoramic views across the Luberon. Garrigue, oak and pine forests cover a large part of the commune on the southern slope of the Monts de Vaucluse. Those looking to combine culture and landscape will find a range of themes here: medieval fortifications, historic buildings, geological sites and hiking trails. Each site and trail has its own distinct character.

Hiking trails and planning your time

A practical option is the circular walk “Des moulins au château et rues du village.” It is rated easy, is 2.6 kilometres long and takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes. The route leads to 28 heritage sites. When planning, therefore, take both the distance and the approximate duration into account. Check the route conditions locally before setting off.

The Aiguiers can only be reached on foot via the hiking trail “Sur le sentier des aiguiers.” Aiguiers are cisterns carved into the rock that collect runoff and rainwater across large limestone surfaces. This construction method illustrates how water is managed in the landscape. If you plan to take this trail, check its conditions locally as well.

Chapel, settlement and mill site

The Romanesque castral chapel of Saint-Saturnin-Lès-Apt was built in the 11th and 12th centuries over the remains of a Roman structure and a church dating from the 6th century. Three bishops consecrated it in 1056. Several historical periods thus meet in this building: the Roman remains, the earlier church and the medieval chapel.

The medieval settlement on the ridge can also be identified by its surviving structures. You can reach it along paved stone paths; there you will find remains of the old defensive walls, gates and square towers. These features give the settlement a different character from the freestanding buildings at the mill site.

A restored windmill stands on the village ridge. It is surrounded by a former grain-drying area and the ruins of outbuildings used for bagging and storage. The mill site also has a lime kiln. Gypsum and lime were fired in it; it may also have been used to produce gypsum plaster. The windmill, work areas and ruins show different aspects of the site's former use.

Waterworks and geological sites

The waterworks originated with a reservoir built in 1763. In 1902, a 14-metre-high dam was added immediately downstream. These dates and construction phases help show how the site developed over time. They add another theme to the story of the mill: the built management of water.

At La Tuilière, the focus is on geology rather than architectural history. The Aptian marls there are extremely rich in fossils. These include ammonites, belemnite rostra, snails, bivalves, corals, sea urchins and shark teeth. The variety ranges from different shells and corals to the distinctive remains of ammonites, belemnites and sharks.

To visit La Tuilière, you can park at the school car park and follow the signposted trail south to the site. Information boards are provided there. Check the access information before your visit so you can factor both the drive to the site and the walk that follows into your plans.

Discover more destinations: Bédoin, Le Boisset, Vitrolles-En-Lubéron, Violès, Buoux, Oppède-Le-Vieux, Auribeau, Apt.

For the overview of the wider region: Vaucluse.