Cucuron
Encyclopedia
Cucuron is a village in the Vaucluse
department, of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
region
, in southeastern France
. Its inhabitants are called Cucuronnais.
Located on the south side of the Luberon
mountain range, Cucuron is surrounded by slopes of grapevines
and olive
trees. There are several cooperatives in the village, including for wine and olive oil production. The present village dates from earlier than the 11th century and suffered a serious plague epidemic in 1720. Its primary features are a long pond (l'étang) that occupies its main square, the ruins of a medieval
keep
, and two churches.
mountain range and includes most of the northern slope of the Aigues valley, sloping gently towards the south. The rural district of Cucuron is part of the Luberon Regional Park (Parc naturel régional du Luberon).
The highest point of the village area is located at its northern end, 1,040 m above sea level, on the crest of the Luberon. The village itself is located on a hill dominating the area, consisting of zaffre
, with the highest part of the village proper at 375 m. It is surrounded by slopes of grapevines
and vegetable crops, cereals (wheat
fields) or abandoned agricultural
land.
The extreme south of the territory is part of the alluvial plain
of the Durance
. Several rivers irrigate the village area, this includes the Vabre and Hermitage streams - the latter supplies the village.
Plots of land "in slices" may be legacy areas (villae
) of the Gallo-Roman period - two sites have been clearly identified and excavated.
The villages closest to Cucuron are Ansouis
(5 km), Vaugines
(2.2 km) and Lourmarin
(7.4 km).
, like many Provence
villages. Caesar, seeing the inhabitants of the place run, was said to have stated the Latin
phrase cur currunt? ("Why do they run?"). In fact Cucuron, under various spellings, is a common placename in southern France, meaning a peak, mound. Many localities are so named, as well as various villages: Coucouron
(Ardèche
), Cuguron
(Haute-Garonne
), Cuqueron
(Pyrénées-Atlantiques
).
The village name derives from the pre-indo-European root "Kuk", which means a place located on a high mountain or a round hill. The village has had various names: castro Cucurone and castro Cucuroau in the 11th century, in tertitorio Cucuronis, of Cucurun in the 12th century, Cucuron from the 16th century.
period (at a place called Castelas). During protohistory
, it was on the territory of the Gauls
of Dexcivate, established along the Durance
, as indicated by Conch
graves.
A site on the plain, to the south of the village, dates from the Gallo-Roman period: villas
were established there benefiting from the fertile land, with several burial grounds
and a mausoleum
- the Pourrières mausoleum, dates from the 1st century BC.
In the Middle Ages
, a castrum (castle) was built on the hill by the Reillanne-Valence family: the present village dates from earlier than the 11th century and is quoted for the first time in 1024, under the name of castrum cucurone. The castle passed between the hands of several families of seigneurs
(lords): the Sabrans in the 12th century, then the Castillon and the Oraison in co-seigneurship and finally the Bruni from La Tour-d'Aigues
at the end of the 18th century. Meanwhile, a "consulate" was created; the village was consequently administered by "consuls" which controlled the local justices and lower courts.
During the late Middle Ages, Cucuron hosted a Jewish community which was officially expelled in 1501. It also accommodated a Vaudois
minority, after they repopulated Luberon at the end of the 15th century. In 1534, the archbishop
of Aix-en-Provence
executed ten of these 'heretics', which included inhabitants of Cucuron. However, at the time of the French Wars of Religion
, Cucuron remained predominantly catholic
, unlike the surrounding villages.
In 1720-1, the village was hit hard by a plague epidemic
which spread from Marseille
.
Gules
background with a silver tower that has a door and arrowslits. The tower is flanked by two savages with a symmetrical profile, who hold the tower; the one on the right with their right hand, the one on the left with their left hand, their other hands hold a club.
Cucuron motto: cucurrunt sed vixerunt (they ran but they overcame)
March 2001 - March 2008 Gérard Livolsi
March 2008 - Roger Deranque
1962 - 1,033
1968 - 1,177
1975 - 1,206
1982 - 1,409
1990 - 1,624
1999 - 1,792
2007 - 1,816
2008 - 1,829
The Cucuron population has remained relatively stable throughout its history: the village had almost a thousand inhabitants at the beginning of the 14th century and there were nearly 2000 on the eve of the plague epidemic of 1720-1
. The mortality caused by it, however, led to a sharp decline in population in the 18th century, that decline was compounded in the 19th century with rural flight
.
The inhabitants of the village are called Cucuronnais.
(vineyards) and vegetable crops (asparagus
in particular) found on village land, are from post World War I
. The village has several cooperative
s: one for cherry
jam, an agricultural cooperative for wheat and other grain
s, a viticultural cooperative, and two olive oil
mills open their doors to olive growers in mid-November.
The village produces Côtes du Luberon AOC
wines - AOC stands for Appellation d'origine contrôlée
(controlled designation of origin). Wines which are not AOC can be labelled, after approval, vin de pays d'Aigues.
Like the rest of the surrounding area, olive
cultivation is growing in Cucuron.
There are three main kinds of tourism in the Luberon. Firstly cultural, which relies on a heritage of village hilltops and festivals. Secondly, relaxation tourism which has resulted in a significant development of chambres d'hôtes (bed and breakfast
s), hotels and rental properties; a large concentration of swimming pools and provençale markets. Lastly, walking holidays which benefit from the footpaths and protected countryside of the Luberon and surrounding area.
in Cadenet
, then Val de Durance lycée (upper secondary school) in Pertuis (mainstream education) or Alexandre Dumas collège in Cavaillon
or Alphonse Benoit college in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
(technical education).
is held on Tuesdays and two major holidays punctuate the life of the village:
Four night markets are held each year between the months of July and August, around l'étang (the pond), generally the last two Fridays of July and the first two of August. Local craftsmen and producers attend these markets.
Scenes from the films The Horseman on the Roof
and A Good Year
were filmed in the village.
Vaucluse
The Vaucluse is a department in the southeast of France, named after the famous spring, the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.- History :Vaucluse was created on 12 August 1793 out of parts of the departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, and Basses-Alpes...
department, of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur or PACA is one of the 27 regions of France.It is made up of:* the former French province of Provence* the former papal territory of Avignon, known as Comtat Venaissin...
region
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
, in southeastern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Its inhabitants are called Cucuronnais.
Located on the south side of the Luberon
Luberon
The Luberon or Luberon Massif , also called Lubéron, has a maximum altitude of 1,256 m and an area of about 600 km²...
mountain range, Cucuron is surrounded by slopes of grapevines
Vitis
Vitis is a genus of about 60 species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, both for direct consumption of the fruit and for fermentation to produce...
and olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
trees. There are several cooperatives in the village, including for wine and olive oil production. The present village dates from earlier than the 11th century and suffered a serious plague epidemic in 1720. Its primary features are a long pond (l'étang) that occupies its main square, the ruins of a medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
, and two churches.
Geography
Cucuron is located on the south side of the LuberonLuberon
The Luberon or Luberon Massif , also called Lubéron, has a maximum altitude of 1,256 m and an area of about 600 km²...
mountain range and includes most of the northern slope of the Aigues valley, sloping gently towards the south. The rural district of Cucuron is part of the Luberon Regional Park (Parc naturel régional du Luberon).
The highest point of the village area is located at its northern end, 1,040 m above sea level, on the crest of the Luberon. The village itself is located on a hill dominating the area, consisting of zaffre
Zaffre
Zaffre, a pre-scientific substance , is a deep blue pigment obtained by roasting cobalt ore, and is made of either an impure form cobalt oxide or impure cobalt arseniate...
, with the highest part of the village proper at 375 m. It is surrounded by slopes of grapevines
Vitis
Vitis is a genus of about 60 species of vining plants in the flowering plant family Vitaceae. The genus is made up of species predominantly from the Northern hemisphere. It is economically important as the source of grapes, both for direct consumption of the fruit and for fermentation to produce...
and vegetable crops, cereals (wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
fields) or abandoned agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
land.
The extreme south of the territory is part of the alluvial plain
Plain
In geography, a plain is land with relatively low relief, that is flat or gently rolling. Prairies and steppes are types of plains, and the archetype for a plain is often thought of as a grassland, but plains in their natural state may also be covered in shrublands, woodland and forest, or...
of the Durance
Durance
The Durance is a major river in south-eastern France.Its source is in the south-western Alps, in Montgenèvre ski resort near Briançon and it flows south-west through the following départements and cities:* Hautes-Alpes: Briançon, Embrun.* Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: Sisteron, Manosque.* Vaucluse:...
. Several rivers irrigate the village area, this includes the Vabre and Hermitage streams - the latter supplies the village.
Plots of land "in slices" may be legacy areas (villae
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
) of the Gallo-Roman period - two sites have been clearly identified and excavated.
Distance from major towns
The times given in brackets are estimates which include part of the journey by motorway where relevant.- PertuisPertuisPertuis is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Located south of the Luberon, this town is also near Aix-en-Provence, a famous town. Pertuis has existed since at least 981, while a castle was first built in the 12th century...
: 12 km (15 minutes) - AptApt, VaucluseApt is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It lies on the left bank of the Calavon, east of Avignon...
: 26 km (30 minutes) - CavaillonCavaillonCavaillon is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Geography:The Calavon, a tributary of the Durance locally called Coulon, flows westward through the middle of the commune....
: 28 km (45 minutes) - Aix-en-ProvenceAix-en-ProvenceAix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
: 37 km (35 minutes) - MarseilleMarseilleMarseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
: 65 km (55 minutes) - AvignonAvignonAvignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
: 66 km (1 hour)
The villages closest to Cucuron are Ansouis
Ansouis
Ansouis is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-History:...
(5 km), Vaugines
Vaugines
Vaugines is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It lies on the southern slopes of the Luberon Massif. It is a very old and isolated village....
(2.2 km) and Lourmarin
Lourmarin
Lourmarin is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. Its inhabitants are called Lourmarinois.-Geography:...
(7.4 km).
Toponymy
Local tradition ascribes the origin of the village name to Julius CaesarJulius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
, like many Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
villages. Caesar, seeing the inhabitants of the place run, was said to have stated the Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
phrase cur currunt? ("Why do they run?"). In fact Cucuron, under various spellings, is a common placename in southern France, meaning a peak, mound. Many localities are so named, as well as various villages: Coucouron
Coucouron
Coucouron is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-References:*...
(Ardèche
Ardèche
Ardèche is a department in south-central France named after the Ardèche River.- History :The area has been inhabited by humans at least since the Upper Paleolithic, as attested by the famous cave paintings at Chauvet Pont d'Arc. The plateau of the Ardeche River has extensive standing stones ,...
), Cuguron
Cuguron
Cuguron is a commune in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
(Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne is a department in the southwest of France named after the Garonne river. Its main city is Toulouse.-History:Haute-Garonne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Languedoc.The...
), Cuqueron
Cuqueron
Cuqueron is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department in south-western France.-References:*...
(Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Pyrénées-Atlantiques is a department in the southwest of France which takes its name from the Pyrenees mountains and the Atlantic Ocean.- History :...
).
The village name derives from the pre-indo-European root "Kuk", which means a place located on a high mountain or a round hill. The village has had various names: castro Cucurone and castro Cucuroau in the 11th century, in tertitorio Cucuronis, of Cucurun in the 12th century, Cucuron from the 16th century.
History
The medieval village site was occupied from the NeolithicNeolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
period (at a place called Castelas). During protohistory
Protohistory
Protohistory refers to a period between prehistory and history, during which a culture or civilization has not yet developed writing, but other cultures have already noted its existence in their own writings...
, it was on the territory of the Gauls
Gauls
The Gauls were a Celtic people living in Gaul, the region roughly corresponding to what is now France, Belgium, Switzerland and Northern Italy, from the Iron Age through the Roman period. They mostly spoke the Continental Celtic language called Gaulish....
of Dexcivate, established along the Durance
Durance
The Durance is a major river in south-eastern France.Its source is in the south-western Alps, in Montgenèvre ski resort near Briançon and it flows south-west through the following départements and cities:* Hautes-Alpes: Briançon, Embrun.* Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: Sisteron, Manosque.* Vaucluse:...
, as indicated by Conch
Conch
A conch is a common name which is applied to a number of different species of medium-sized to large sea snails or their shells, generally those which are large and have a high spire and a siphonal canal....
graves.
A site on the plain, to the south of the village, dates from the Gallo-Roman period: villas
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
were established there benefiting from the fertile land, with several burial grounds
Necropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
and a mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
- the Pourrières mausoleum, dates from the 1st century BC.
In the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, a castrum (castle) was built on the hill by the Reillanne-Valence family: the present village dates from earlier than the 11th century and is quoted for the first time in 1024, under the name of castrum cucurone. The castle passed between the hands of several families of seigneurs
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
(lords): the Sabrans in the 12th century, then the Castillon and the Oraison in co-seigneurship and finally the Bruni from La Tour-d'Aigues
La Tour-d'Aigues
La Tour-d'Aigues is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...
at the end of the 18th century. Meanwhile, a "consulate" was created; the village was consequently administered by "consuls" which controlled the local justices and lower courts.
During the late Middle Ages, Cucuron hosted a Jewish community which was officially expelled in 1501. It also accommodated a Vaudois
Waldensians
Waldensians, Waldenses or Vaudois are names for a Christian movement of the later Middle Ages, descendants of which still exist in various regions, primarily in North-Western Italy. There is considerable uncertainty about the earlier history of the Waldenses because of a lack of extant source...
minority, after they repopulated Luberon at the end of the 15th century. In 1534, the archbishop
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
executed ten of these 'heretics', which included inhabitants of Cucuron. However, at the time of the French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
, Cucuron remained predominantly catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
, unlike the surrounding villages.
In 1720-1, the village was hit hard by a plague epidemic
Great Plague of Marseille
The Great Plague of Marseille was the last of the significant European outbreaks of bubonic plague. Arriving in Marseille, France in 1720, the disease killed 100,000 people in the city and the surrounding provinces. However, Marseille recovered quickly from the plague outbreak. Economic activity...
which spread from Marseille
Marseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
.
Coat of arms
The arms are emblazoned with the following:Gules
Gules
In heraldry, gules is the tincture with the colour red, and belongs to the class of dark tinctures called "colours". In engraving, it is sometimes depicted as a region of vertical lines or else marked with gu. as an abbreviation....
background with a silver tower that has a door and arrowslits. The tower is flanked by two savages with a symmetrical profile, who hold the tower; the one on the right with their right hand, the one on the left with their left hand, their other hands hold a club.
Cucuron motto: cucurrunt sed vixerunt (they ran but they overcame)
List of mayors
June 1995 - March 2001 Alain GardonMarch 2001 - March 2008 Gérard Livolsi
March 2008 - Roger Deranque
Demographics
Year and population1962 - 1,033
1968 - 1,177
1975 - 1,206
1982 - 1,409
1990 - 1,624
1999 - 1,792
2007 - 1,816
2008 - 1,829
The Cucuron population has remained relatively stable throughout its history: the village had almost a thousand inhabitants at the beginning of the 14th century and there were nearly 2000 on the eve of the plague epidemic of 1720-1
Great Plague of Marseille
The Great Plague of Marseille was the last of the significant European outbreaks of bubonic plague. Arriving in Marseille, France in 1720, the disease killed 100,000 people in the city and the surrounding provinces. However, Marseille recovered quickly from the plague outbreak. Economic activity...
. The mortality caused by it, however, led to a sharp decline in population in the 18th century, that decline was compounded in the 19th century with rural flight
Rural flight
Rural flight is a term used to describe the migratory patterns of peoples from rural areas into urban areas.In modern times, it often occurs in a region following the industrialization of agriculture when fewer people are needed to bring the same amount of agricultural output to market and related...
.
The inhabitants of the village are called Cucuronnais.
Economy
There are many traders in the village: a grocers, a tobacco shop, two bakeries and two butchers, a pharmacy, restaurants, bars and a hotel. It has had ADSL (broadband internet) since January 2005.Agriculture
The viticultureViticulture
Viticulture is the science, production and study of grapes which deals with the series of events that occur in the vineyard. When the grapes are used for winemaking, it is also known as viniculture...
(vineyards) and vegetable crops (asparagus
Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis is a spring vegetable, a flowering perennialplant species in the genus Asparagus. It was once classified in the lily family, like its Allium cousins, onions and garlic, but the Liliaceae have been split and the onion-like plants are now in the family Amaryllidaceae and...
in particular) found on village land, are from post World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. The village has several cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
s: one for cherry
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
jam, an agricultural cooperative for wheat and other grain
GRAIN
GRAIN is a small international non-profit organisation that works to support small farmers and social movements in their struggles for community-controlled and biodiversity-based food systems. Our support takes the form of independent research and analysis, networking at local, regional and...
s, a viticultural cooperative, and two olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
mills open their doors to olive growers in mid-November.
The village produces Côtes du Luberon AOC
Côtes du Luberon AOC
Côtes du Luberon is a French wine-growing AOC in the southeastern extreme of the Rhône wine region of France, where the wines are produced in 36 communes of the Vaucluse département. The neighbouring appellation of Côtes de Ventoux AOC stretches along its northern border and is separated by the...
wines - AOC stands for Appellation d'origine contrôlée
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
(controlled designation of origin). Wines which are not AOC can be labelled, after approval, vin de pays d'Aigues.
Like the rest of the surrounding area, olive
Olive
The olive , Olea europaea), is a species of a small tree in the family Oleaceae, native to the coastal areas of the eastern Mediterranean Basin as well as northern Iran at the south end of the Caspian Sea.Its fruit, also called the olive, is of major agricultural importance in the...
cultivation is growing in Cucuron.
Tourism
As with all municipalities in the Luberon, tourism plays a role, directly or indirectly, in the local economy.There are three main kinds of tourism in the Luberon. Firstly cultural, which relies on a heritage of village hilltops and festivals. Secondly, relaxation tourism which has resulted in a significant development of chambres d'hôtes (bed and breakfast
Bed and breakfast
A bed and breakfast is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, but usually does not offer other meals. Since the 1980s, the meaning of the term has also extended to include accommodations that are also known as "self-catering" establishments...
s), hotels and rental properties; a large concentration of swimming pools and provençale markets. Lastly, walking holidays which benefit from the footpaths and protected countryside of the Luberon and surrounding area.
Education
The village has a public elementary school, the pupils are then sent to Le Luberon, a lower secondary schoolSecondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Cadenet
Cadenet
Cadenet is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Jewish community:Like all places situated along the river Durance, Cadenet had a Jewish community in the Middle Ages...
, then Val de Durance lycée (upper secondary school) in Pertuis (mainstream education) or Alexandre Dumas collège in Cavaillon
Cavaillon
Cavaillon is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Geography:The Calavon, a tributary of the Durance locally called Coulon, flows westward through the middle of the commune....
or Alphonse Benoit college in L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue
L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue 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...
(technical education).
Local life
A marketMarket
A market is one of many varieties of systems, institutions, procedures, social relations and infrastructures whereby parties engage in exchange. While parties may exchange goods and services by barter, most markets rely on sellers offering their goods or services in exchange for money from buyers...
is held on Tuesdays and two major holidays punctuate the life of the village:
- the votive festival takes place at the beginning of July.
- the Feast of Saint Tulle is held on the first Saturday after May 21: the l'arbre de mai “tree of May” - a poplarPoplarPopulus is a genus of 25–35 species of deciduous flowering plants in the family Salicaceae, native to most of the Northern Hemisphere. English names variously applied to different species include poplar , aspen, and cottonwood....
is transported by men through the village and tied-up the front side of the church. This commemorates the occasion of the 'intervention of the saint' to put an end to the plague of 1720.
Four night markets are held each year between the months of July and August, around l'étang (the pond), generally the last two Fridays of July and the first two of August. Local craftsmen and producers attend these markets.
Scenes from the films The Horseman on the Roof
The Horseman on the Roof
The Horseman on the Roof is a 1995 French film directed by Jean-Paul Rappeneau, and starring Juliette Binoche and Olivier Martinez...
and A Good Year
A Good Year
A Good Year is a 2006 British romantic comedy film, set in London and Provence. It was directed by Ridley Scott, with an international cast including Russell Crowe, Marion Cotillard, Didier Bourdon, Abbie Cornish and Albert Finney...
were filmed in the village.
Places of interest
- Bassin de l'étang - a large quadrangular basin of water that dates from the beginning of the 14th century, located at the north of the village: it previously supplied a millWatermillA watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
in the village. - Notre-Dame-de-Beaulieu church - partly in Romance style of Provence (13th century), partly in Gothic style.
- Notre-Dame-de-Beauvoir chapel (early RomanesqueRomanesque architectureRomanesque architecture is an architectural style of Medieval Europe characterised by semi-circular arches. There is no consensus for the beginning date of the Romanesque architecture, with proposals ranging from the 6th to the 10th century. It developed in the 12th century into the Gothic style,...
), otherwise known as the HermitageHermitage (religious retreat)Although today's meaning is usually a place where a hermit lives in seclusion from the world, hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group of people lived religiously, in seclusion.-Western Christian Tradition:...
. Initially a small pilgrimagePilgrimageA pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
shrineShrineA shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
, annex of the parishParishA parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
, quoted in several wills since 1292. All that remains of the Roman chapel is an arch-shaped vault. The last bayBay (architecture)A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
was later transformed into a dwelling. At the beginning of the 17th century it was maintained by a confraternityConfraternityA confraternity is normally a Roman Catholic or Orthodox organization of lay people created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety, and approved by the Church hierarchy...
who built a bell towerBell towerA bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
in 1602, a hermitage in 1613 and a new naveNaveIn Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
between 1614 and 1620. The chapel became communal property after the French RevolutionFrench RevolutionThe French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
and was restored in 1957, then again in the middle of the 1970s. - Medieval walls, with gates and towers, including the belfryBell towerA bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
, or “Clock towerClock towerA clock tower is a tower specifically built with one or more clock faces. Clock towers can be either freestanding or part of a church or municipal building such as a town hall. Some clock towers are not true clock towers having had their clock faces added to an already existing building...
” - 13th-16th centuries. Three successive walls surrounded the city during the Middle Ages. - Ruins of the castleCastleA castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
and cellars dug into the zaffreZaffreZaffre, a pre-scientific substance , is a deep blue pigment obtained by roasting cobalt ore, and is made of either an impure form cobalt oxide or impure cobalt arseniate...
- remains of a quadrangular tower of the 14th century, called “Saint-Michel tower”. - 16th century olive oil mill, in a caveCaveA cave or cavern is a natural underground space large enough for a human to enter. The term applies to natural cavities some part of which is in total darkness. The word cave also includes smaller spaces like rock shelters, sea caves, and grottos.Speleology is the science of exploration and study...
dug under the rampartDefensive wallA defensive wall is a fortification used to protect a city or settlement from potential aggressors. In ancient to modern times, they were used to enclose settlements...
s in the south of the village. - Viticultural cooperative wine shop
- Municipal libraryLibraryIn a traditional sense, a library is a large collection of books, and can refer to the place in which the collection is housed. Today, the term can refer to any collection, including digital sources, resources, and services...
- Marc Deydier MuseumMuseumA museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, named after a cucuronnais scholar - includes archaeological collections of Gallo-Roman and NeolithicNeolithicThe Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
excavations, local ethnographyEthnographyEthnography is a qualitative method aimed to learn and understand cultural phenomena which reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group...
and history of the village. - The garden of Pavillon de GalonPavillon de GalonThe Pavillon de Galon was built at the end of the 18th century as a hunting lodge. It is located in Cucuron, in Vaucluse, on the south side of the Luberon mountain range of southern France....
, which was awarded the "Remarkable Garden" label by the French Ministry of Culture & Environment in 2010. - A cinema named Cigalon which has approximately 100 seats; it shows French and foreign films.
Popular expression
In the parlance of southern France, the term Cucuron-les-Olivettes means a remote place, devoid of interest or place that does not exist.Notable people related to the village
- Joseph Marius DiouloufetJoseph Marius DiouloufetJoseph Marius Diouloufet was a Provençal poet.-Biography:As a seminarian, Diouloufet had to leave Provence for Italy with the advent of the French Revolution....
(1771–1840), a Provence poetPoetA poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, died in Cucuron.