Overflowing Mystery: Fontaine de Vaucluse Unveiled

Fontaine de Vaucluse is a small village in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in France. It is named after the spring, the Fontaine de Vaucluse, located at the foot of a steep cliff 230 meters high. The spring is one of the largest in the world by flow. Its water emerges from an underground river system and the volume of water fluctuates significantly depending on the time of year.

The area around Fontaine de Vaucluse has been inhabited since ancient times. Artifacts from as far back as the Neolithic era have been found in the region. The Romans also established a presence in the area, attracted by the strategic importance of the spring.

The exact depth of the spring was a mystery for many years. It wasn't until the 1980s that it was measured at more than 300 meters deep using modern diving equipment. The spring has been the subject of many explorations and scientific studies to understand the complex system of underwater channels that feed it.

(April 2024)

Here is the spring overflowing from the deep cavern where it originates this week...in April in Provence. The photo just below is the same area, but when the water is low enough to actually climb down and enter the cave itself. I was there last November. 

(November 2023)

(April 2024)

(November 2023)

Here, I was inside the actual cavern where the spring originates in November 2023. From this point, divers have explored the depths of the spring, which descends over 300 meters. The chasm, or Le Gouffre, is a site of both scientific interest and historical significance, having been celebrated by notable figures like Seneca, Petrarch, and René Char.

Once the spring overflows, its water flow is powerful and dramatic. This week the water flow is spectacular, with 70 cubic meters per second feeding the River Sorgue.

Standing at the water's edge, the force of the natural phenomenon leaves one feeling pure awe.

Petrarch: The Italian poet Petrarch spent much of his early life in Avignon and the surrounding area, including Fontaine de Vaucluse. He wrote many letters and poems about the beauty of the area and the spring itself, contributing to its fame in Renaissance Europe.

There is a lovely restaurant along the banks of the Sorgue: Restaurant Philip. Stop here for a meal, or a delicious ice cream and enjoy the force of the water rushing by.

Photography and writing by Emilie Johnson. She lives in Provence and can be found on instagram at @emilie_joly_johnson