The Village des Bories in Gordes is a remarkable collection of authentic, historic dry-stone dwellings facing the Luberon.

The Village des Bories de Gordes is a remarkable group of dry-stone dwellings known as ‘bories’.

This exceptional site is distinguished by the rare concentration of these buildings in one place, offering a relatively complete ensemble: old ovens, dwellings, threshing floors, silkworm houses, fulling houses, vats, storage areas and animal shelters (stables, barns, goat pens, etc.). This diversity allows visitors to easily imagine the daily life of a rural community in days gone by.

Facing the Luberon, the site offers magnificent views of the massif from the oak trees.

The village is made up of seven groups of bories, all close together, forming a coherent whole, full of charm and accessible to young and old alike.

The Village des Bories, located in the commune of Gordes (84220), is open to visitors. A pleasant path leads you there, winding between dry-stone walls. The most courageous will choose to set off on foot from the first car park; others will prefer to drive as close as possible to the site.

Information: +33 (0)4 90 72 03 48

Listed as historic monuments, the bories are steeped in a history as rich as it is mysterious. The origin of the word ‘borie’ remains uncertain: whether Provençal or Latin in inspiration, no etymology has yet been established with certainty.

Before being acquired and managed by the commune of Gordes in 1984, the site was patiently restored and developed between 1969 and 1976 by Pierre Viala, who was behind the creation of the Village des Bories in 1976.

In 1977, Pierre Viala was awarded the Grande Médaille de la Restauration by the Académie d'Architecture. A few years later, during a lecture given at the Château as part of the Gordes Workshops, Pierre Viala was made an honorary citizen of the town and awarded the town medal, as he shared with emotion the story of this heritage adventure.