Cavaillon, Commune in Vaucluse, France
Cavaillon is a commune in Vaucluse located at the base of the Luberon range, where the Durance valley opens into broad fields lined with fruit trees and vegetable plots. The town spreads between the river terrace and the slopes, with narrow streets in the old quarter and wider roads in the outer neighborhoods.
The Roman settlement Cabellio arose in the first century BC as a trading post on a major road through the Durance valley. A triumphal arch from that era still stands today, recalling the prosperity of the colony under Roman rule.
The town's name comes from the Roman Cabellio and still appears on signs and in conversations among residents today. Visitors hear it often at the weekly market, where vendors sell their goods beneath plane trees and shoppers select fresh vegetables from the surrounding farms.
The weekly market takes place on Mondays across several squares, offering fresh produce from the region as well as cheese and honey sold directly by farmers. The center can be explored easily on foot, while the cathedral and surrounding lanes are liveliest in the morning.
The Colline Saint-Jacques rises above the rooftops and bears remains of old fortifications that once protected the town from attack. A footpath leads up through low oak woods and offers views across the plain and the distant peaks of the Luberon.
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