L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

The village of L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, with the river in the foreground

Coat of arms

L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

Location within Provence-A.-C.d'A. region

L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

Coordinates: 43°55′12″N 5°03′18″E / 43.9199°N 5.0549°ECoordinates: 43°55′12″N 5°03′18″E / 43.9199°N 5.0549°E

Country

France

Region

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur

Pays des Sorgues et des Monts de Vaucluse

Government

• Mayor (2008–2014)

Pierre Gonzalvez (UMP)

Area¹

44.57 km² (17.21 sq mi)

Population (2006)²

18,510

• Density

420/km² (1,100/sq mi)

INSEE/Postal code

84054 / 84800

Elevation

52–246 m (171–807 ft)

¹ French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

² Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (French pronunciation: [lil syʁ (la) ˈsɔʁɡ]; Occitan: L'Illa de Sòrga [ˈlilɔ de ˈsɔʁɡɔ] or L'Illa de Venissa [ˈlilɔ de veˈnisɔ]) is a town and commune on the Sorgue river southeastern France. Politically, the commune is in the arrondissement of Avignon within the département of Vaucluse and the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.

The small town is famous for its many antique shops and hosts antique markets most Sundays. It has many waterside cafés and restaurants, all within walking distance of each other. Its many attractive water wheels throughout the town are still in working order. Keith Floyd, the British TV chef and bon viveur established a restaurant there during a lengthy sojourn in France.

L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is twinned with the towns of Penicuik in the UK, and Anagni in Italy.

History

One of the several water wheels in the town

Originally known as "Insula", the town officially adopted the name of "L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue" on 18 August 1890, taking the latter part of its name from the river Sorgue, to which it owed much. As early as the 12th century, the river served defensively as a moat around ramparts which surrounded the town until 1795. The river also served as a source of food and industry: fishing and artisan mills for oil, wheat, silk, paper, woolenry, rugs and dyeing. A busy commerce developed until there were two annual fairs and two weekly markets. The current Sunday open-air market originated on 9 November 1596.