Quick answer
Gordes, in the Luberon, is about 76 km and 1h10 by car from Uzès (a route planner). Roussillon, known for its ochre, is about 10 km further on (13 to 15 minutes), and the Sénanque abbey stands a few kilometres from Gordes. Together they make one full day.
Good for: a village, an abbey and the ochre colours in one loop; lavender in early summer.
Not for: a spontaneous visit inside the abbey (it needs a booking) or the busiest summer days, when parking is tight.
Gordes is a village in the Luberon area of the Vaucluse. About 10 km away, Roussillon is known for its colourful houses and for the Sentier des Ocres, an ochre trail. The Abbaye Notre-Dame de Sénanque stands near Gordes, with fields around it that make the classic lavender view when they bloom, usually between mid-June and mid-July. The three together make one full day, about 1h10 by car from Uzès.
| What | What to know | Check before you go |
|---|---|---|
| Drive from Uzès | About 76 km and 1h10 by car to Gordes, by a route planner (Rome2Rio). Roussillon is about 10 km from Gordes, 13 to 15 minutes by car; the abbey is a few kilometres away (sources give 4 to 9.5 km). La Valette is five minutes from Uzès. | A live map on the day: the lanes are narrow and slower than the distance suggests. |
| Gordes market | Tuesday morning, 8:00 to 13:00, listed by the tourist office all year 2026. A producers' market on Thursday evenings from June to September is mentioned by a destination guide. | The market hours with the tourist office. |
| Parking in Gordes | Several guides say parking in the village is scarce and paid in high season, and advise leaving the car in a car park just outside. We found no 2026 rates. | Where to park and what it costs on the day. |
| Sénanque abbey | Visiting the inside is by reservation (one source calls booking mandatory, another strongly recommended). Listed hours: about 9:30 to 17:00 Monday to Saturday and 13:00 to 17:00 on Sunday; some days and mornings are closed, 1 January and 25 December among them. | Book ahead, and check the hours and closing days with the abbey. |
| Road to the abbey | The access road from Gordes is narrow. The abbey's site says it is one-way in season, from 15 March to 30 September; a walking guide adds that the way back goes by a detour via Murs. The abbey car park is listed as free, about five minutes' walk from the entrance. | The direction of traffic on the day. |
| Roussillon and the ochre trail | The Sentier des Ocres is listed with summer hours of 9:00 to 18:30 every day (a June 2026 listing), weather permitting. Winter opening differs by source: one says closed in January until 6 February, another open daily from February, and an older listing gives 11:00 to 15:30 in winter. A Thursday market is mentioned for Roussillon (one listing, no hours found). | The winter hours and the market hours with the tourist office. |
| Lavender | Most sources put the Luberon bloom between mid-June and mid-July, often peaking in early July, depending on the year and the altitude. Visitors are asked not to enter the fields or pick the flowers. | The bloom of the year with the tourist office. |
Gordes and Sénanque
A market village and an abbey in the fields
Gordes has its market on Tuesday mornings. In high season leave the car outside the village. The Sénanque abbey is a short drive away along a narrow road, with a free car park; the inside is visited by reservation. The fields around it are the classic lavender view from late June to mid-July, and visitors are asked to stay out of them.
The abbey's own site, for booking and hours: senanque.fr
Roussillon
Ochre and a village of colour
Roussillon is about 10 km from Gordes. Its Sentier des Ocres leads through the ochre ground; the listings add that opening depends on the weather and can change with fire risk, and that winter opening differs by source. Leave the car at the edge of the village and walk in.
Luberon tourism, for hours and the bloom: luberon.fr
Plan the day
The abbey booked, the rest as the day allows
With about 1h10 each way, book the abbey first and build the day around that slot. On a Tuesday add the Gordes market in the morning; Roussillon fits before or after. Drop one of the three if the day feels long. For another day in the same area, see L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue; for something closer, Avignon is about 45 minutes away.
Frequently asked
A day in the Luberon
About 76 km and 1h10 by car, by a route planner (Rome2Rio). By public transport the same planner lists a bus via Avignon and Coustellet of about four hours, so a car is the practical way. Roussillon is about 10 km (13 to 15 minutes) from Gordes.
Yes, if you want one loop of village, abbey and colour. It is a long day, about two hours twenty of driving on narrow lanes, so pick two or three stops rather than everything. For a shorter drive, Avignon is about 45 minutes away.
Most sources put the Luberon bloom between mid-June and mid-July, often peaking in early July, depending on the year and the altitude, so the classic view is a summer one. Visitors are asked not to enter the fields or pick the flowers.
To visit the inside, yes: one source calls booking mandatory and another strongly recommended, and places are limited. Book on the abbey's own site and check the hours and closing days, as some mornings and days are closed.
In Gordes parking is described as scarce and paid in high season, so guides advise a car park just outside the village. At the abbey the car park is listed as free, about five minutes' walk from the entrance. We found no 2026 rates, so check on the day.
Planning a stay?
A base five minutes from Uzès
Check availability and book direct, with no platform fees. We reply to questions within 24 hours.
Check availabilitySee the apartments
Questions about your dates? Message us on WhatsApp
More to explore