Vaucluse

The Vaucluse (French pronunciation: ​[vokˈlyz]; Occitan: Vauclusa in classical norm or Vau-Cluso in Mistralian norm) is a depairtment in the sootheast o Fraunce, namit efter the famous spring, the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse. History Vaucluse wis creatit on 12 August 1793 oot o pairts o the depairtments o Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, and Basses-Alpes (later renamed Alpes-de-Haute-Provence). The then rural depairtment wis, like the nearbi ceety o Lyon, a hotbed o the French Resistance in Warld War II. Geography Vaucluse is bordered bi the Rhône tae the wast an the River Durance tae the sooth. Muntains occupy a significant proportion o the eastren hauf o the depairtment, wi Mont Ventoux (1,912 m), kent as "the Giant of Provence" an aw, dominatin the landscape. Ither important muntain ranges include the Dentelles de Montmirail, the Monts de Vaucluse, an the Luberon. Fruit an vegetables are cultivatit in great quantities in the lawer-lyin pairts o the depairtment, on ane o the maist fertile plains in soothren Fraunce. The Vaucluse département haes a rather muckle exclave athin the Drôme depairtment, the canton o Valréas (Enclave des Papes). Important urban centres include Avignon, Orange, Carpentras, Cavaillon, an Apt. Demographics Urban population: 416,301 (83%) Rural population: 83,384 (17%) See also Canton o Valréas/(Enclave des Papes) Cantons o the Vaucluse depairtment Communes o the Vaucluse depairtment Arrondissements o the Vaucluse depairtment Freemit airtins Vaucluse at Curlie Official Vaucluse tourism website (in French) Website of the General Council Archived 2001-02-02 at the Wayback Machine (in French) Prefecture website