From the Alpilles to the Luberon

Salon-de-Provence, which is 40 minutes by train from Marseille, has managed to keep its very Provencal authenticity. When you arrive at the station, you absorb local know-how with a visit to the Savonnerie Marius Fabre (soap works), a two-minute walk away. The old town, outlined by the 13th-century ramparts, is just a stone’s throw from there. You enter it through the Tour de l’Horloge and the Tour Bourg-neuf. The tour ends in the Maison Nostradamus, where the astrologer who was born in Salon-de-Provence lived in the 16th century.

Next stop: Cavaillon. And Cavaillon means melons: here the master melon producers have perpetuated the secrets of its cultivation since the 19th century. In summer, you can’t wait to bite into one of these delicious fruits. From the station, it will take you 5 minutes to get to Place du Clos, where you can see a Roman arch dating back to the 1st century A.D., the heart of the ancient town. Just next door is the imposing Romanesque Cathédrale Notre-Dame-et-Saint-Véran. Its cloister is a breath of fresh air and very relaxing. Cavaillon also has a rich Jewish heritage: a synagogue – one of the oldest in France, which houses the Musée Juif Comtadin, filled with Hebrew objects and manuscripts.

Under 10 minutes later, you get off the train at l’Isle-sur-Sorgue station. It’s just three streets from the old town bounded by the Sorgue, a river which made the town’s history and wealth. To begin with, walk along the banks to see the paddle wheels dotted along the river Sorgue which were used to power the paper and silk mills. In the 19th century, L’Isle-sur-Sorgue was famous for the quality of its sheets. Every Sunday, the Marché à la Brocante is held there and all year round, the Village des Antiquaires de la Gare at the station. This former mill attracts the more curious in search of a good find.