Lavender fields, a Provençal weekly market and traces of several centuries give Sault its distinctive character. Sault-De-Vaucluse is ideal for a trip that brings landscape and culture together: the surrounding plain is all about lavender and agriculture, while the village offers Romanesque architecture, collections and medieval history.
Lavender and agriculture on the Sault plateau
Sault overlooks an agricultural plain where lavender, lavandin and einkorn wheat are grown. In summer, these crops form a colorful patchwork across the plain. The Chemin des Lavandes is an easy walking trail through the area. Marked in yellow, it features themed information panels about the history and cultivation of lavender. The trail lets you explore the landscape on foot while learning about the region’s agricultural heritage.
At the Aroma’Plantes distillery, the visitor experience includes direct access to the lavender fields, a free guided tour of the distillery and free access to the museum areas. The GAEC Distillerie Vallon des Lavandes takes a different approach to its tours: visitors learn about growing and cutting the lavender, transporting it to the distillery and the individual stages of distillation. Those interested in how it is made can follow its journey from the field to processing.
Church, museum and medieval traces
The Romanesque Notre Dame de la Tour church was built in the early 12th century and has been classified as a Monument Historique since 1990. It is open to the public and can be explored independently at no charge. This makes it easy to include a visit to the church in a walk around Sault without joining a guided tour.
The Musée Municipal de Sault was founded in 1859. Its collections include prehistoric, Gallo-Roman and medieval objects, as well as mineralogical and Egyptian holdings. The library contains thousands of old books and an original edition of Diderot’s Encyclopédie. A visit therefore takes in a wide range of subjects rather than focusing on a single period.
The historic center also offers plenty to discover on a walk. The “One hour on the wolf’s steps” discovery trail winds through the center and explores the story of Loup d’Agoult, a medieval lord of Sault. Three towers from the former medieval castle can also be seen in Sault. Together, the church, collections and castle remains offer different ways to explore the town’s history.
La MicroFolie adds a more recent cultural venue: it offers a digital museum, a virtual reality area and a communal play space, and opened in 2022. In Sault, historical collections and medieval traces sit alongside an offering with digital and communal elements.
Market and FĂŞte de la Lavande
Sault’s Provençal weekly market has been held every Wednesday morning since 1515. The Fête de la Lavande is celebrated on August 15. It includes a producers’ market selling lavender and lavandin products, including essential oils, flowers, cosmetics, bouquets, honey and sweets. The selection may vary from one edition to another. The weekly market and the festival market offer different experiences: one is part of the town’s regular rhythm, while the other puts lavender and lavandin in the spotlight.
Getting there by bus
Sault is served by Zou! bus routes 912 and 916; the stop is at Place des Aires. Check the route timetables before your trip. When planning your stay, you can also decide whether you would rather focus on the trail and lavender processing or on the church, museum and historic sites.
Discover more destinations: Lapalud, Mormoiron, Sainte-CĂ©cile-Les-Vignes, Murs, Maubec, Buisson, Lacoste, Le Beaucet.
For the broader travel guide: Vaucluse.
