Isle sur la Sorgue - Sunday Afternoon
 

We will be in Provence in mid-June.

We'd like to see both Isles and it would be nice if we could do it in one visit and not have to return a few days later.

First is the Sunday market and second would be the town in some semblance of normalcy.

I assume that between 1 and 2pm is cleanup time. After that is it still a mess, does it become a ghost town or does it go back to being a regular tourist town with some places closed (Sunday) and others open (tourists) and people walking around and/or having lunch? Or is there another choice?

Thanks.

IMO, l'Isle Sur la Sorgue doesn't "suffer" from its market. The river & paddle wheels makes the village actually quite picturesque during market day. In mid-June it will be quite crowded - but do the same thing you would do for Mont St Michel. Get there early (7:45 am is perfect), walk through the market while they "set up" and some "calm" exists, have a cafe creme near the church, and at 8:45 hit the market. Make sure you visit the antique/housewares store near the church where you had coffee. Then visit the permanent antique stores on the "other" side of the traffic streets when he market gets overwhelmed with people at 10:30. Have lunch in the village at noon, or head out to Gordes or Roussillon and have lunch there.

Although we've visited the market 10 to 12 times, we've never been there after lunchtime.

Stu Dudley

I too haven't been to l'Isle sure la Sorgue on a Sunday afternoon,but remember Sunday afternoon is when most French people are having lunch with family and friends. And lunch often lasts all afternoon.

Typically even shops that are open Sunday morning are closed Sunday afternoon. It always amazes us when we go back to North America how indistinguishable Sunday is from other days, because in most of France it still is different.

Having linger many Sunday afternoons at Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, I can assure you it will be perfectly delightful ! Obviously, the restaurants will all be jammed, so make sure to book a table early when you get to the market. Then have a nice leisurely lunch (as Carlux says à la française), then stroll around the village for an hour or so.

On the way out, pop over to Gordes for a view of the village lit up by the setting sun, and you'll have had a nearly perfect day... at least by Provençal standards !

- Kevin

I love Isle sur la Sorgue! Have a great time.

Thank you.