Le Beaucet
Last update on
Aug 16, 2026
11 km South of Carpentras via the D4 via St. Didier.
Discover the charming hilltop village of Le Beaucet in the Vaucluse
Located between Carpentras and Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, northeast of L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, Le Beaucet is a charming little hilltop village offering magnificent views of the Monts de Vaucluse.
A true Provençal nativity scene village, you’ll discover Le Beaucet clinging to the rock and nestled in the shelter of its fortified castle, whose ruins and esplanade are currently being restored.
The ancient fortified town
As you stroll through the village’s narrow streets, you won’t be able to miss the two monumental gates of the ancient fortified town; you can also visit the 12th-century church, which has been partially restored.
Hikes around the village
In the area surrounding the village, a mountain bike and hiking trail connecting Venasque, Fontaine de Vaucluse, and the Sénanque Abbey will take you to stunning locations where you can enjoy the tranquility and beauty of nature, which has remained unspoiled here.
The Hermitage of Saint Gens
Just 2 km from the village, an easily accessible road will lead you to the Hermitage. Every year, pilgrims follow this path past ancient oratories to reach the Hermitage of Saint Gens, where two beautiful rustic chapels are dedicated to the saint.
Artistic crafts take center stage in the village
Le Beaucet is fortunate to have several artisans based in the village, where you can admire their work: pottery, weaving, earthenware, santons, and glazed earthenware.
Even rarer is the International Training Center for the Arts and Crafts, which offers workshops and classes in gold leaf gilding, casting, fresco painting, marble stucco, and trompe l’oeil drawing. Art enthusiasts will appreciate it.
Robert’s Garden
Don’t leave Le Beaucet without visiting “Robert’s Garden.” It’s an original and unique work by two artists who use the natural landscape as a canvas to sculpt it into an artistic creation! Even if only out of curiosity, it’s worth a look!
What to see
Ruins of the XIth and XIIth Chateau.
XIIth Church.
Saint Gens Hermitage and its miraculous well.
Things to do
Hiking, horse-riding and cycling (signed paths).
Village Fete the week-end after the 14 July.
Arts and Crafts. Exhibitions, seasonal events.
Airbnb
Discover our selection of houses, villas and apartments on Airbnb for an authentic stay in this Provençal village. You will love your vacation here.
Accommodation
Hotels.
Vacation rentals.
Bed and breakfast
Your questions about Le Beaucet
We've received several questions from you about Le Beaucet. Here are our answers to your most frequently asked questions.
What is there to do in Le Beaucet?
Le Beaucet is best explored on foot, at a slow pace. You climb up to the castle by a staircase carved into the rock, walk through the two monumental gates of the old fortified town, and spot the baumes and bories scattered around the village. In summer, a restored wing of the castle hosts an exhibition space open to visitors. Hiking is the main draw here: a walking and mountain biking trail links the village to Venasque, Fontaine-de-Vaucluse and Sénanque, while the path lined with old oratories leads to the Saint-Gens hermitage. Photographers get one of the finest viewpoints in Provence, with Mont Ventoux on the horizon. If you plan to eat here, book ahead: the village is tiny, and you can count the dining options on one hand.
How do you visit Le Beaucet?
Leave your car in the parking lot below the village. The lanes are narrow and steep, so the visit is on foot only. Allow about an hour for the village center, half a day if you add the hermitage and a trail. The interactive map on this page shows you the streets, the parking area and the access roads. Le Beaucet has no tourist office of its own: practical information comes from the town hall or from the Ventoux Provence intercommunal tourist office in Carpentras. There is no entrance fee, and the castle site is freely accessible.
What is the history of Le Beaucet?
The name comes from the Provençal word baus, meaning cliff. Everything starts there: a rock, a medieval fortress, and a vertical village clinging on below. The castle belonged to the bishops of Carpentras, who used it as their summer residence before selling it in 1690 to the Gualtéri family. Protected by its four crenellated towers, it withstood the Protestant assaults of 1573, then suffered a fire caused by lightning in 1784. The church of Saint-Étienne, Romanesque in origin, dates from the 12th century and was enlarged in the 15th. It housed the relics of Saint Gens, a 12th-century hermit, brought here in the 17th century to protect them from looting before returning to the hermitage in 1972.
What are the key facts about Le Beaucet?
Le Beaucet is one of the smallest communes in the Vaucluse: around 380 residents spread over 9 km², a density of 42 inhabitants per square kilometer. The village sits at an average elevation of 230 meters, with the wider territory ranging from 169 to 665 meters. The commune belongs to the canton of Pernes-les-Fontaines and to the Ventoux-Comtat Venaissin urban community. It also lies within the Mont-Ventoux regional nature park. Nearly one home in three is a second residence, which explains how quiet the village feels outside the summer season. No school, no grocery store: people come here for the landscape and the calm.
Where is Le Beaucet located?
Le Beaucet sits in the Vaucluse, at the western end of the Monts de Vaucluse, about ten kilometers southeast of Carpentras. The village occupies a narrow strip of land between Venasque and Pernes-les-Fontaines. Saint-Didier is 4 km away on the D99, and La Roque-sur-Pernes just a few minutes away on the D57. Count on roughly twenty minutes to reach L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue or Fontaine-de-Vaucluse, and about forty to Avignon. Mont Ventoux rises less than 30 kilometers to the northeast. The coordinates: 43.98° north, 5.12° east.
What events take place in Le Beaucet?
The big date is the Saint Gens pilgrimage. Every year in May, a procession follows the path of old oratories to the hermitage and its so-called miraculous spring, which the hermit is said to have drawn from the rock during a year of drought. The tradition goes back to the 15th century, when people came here to pray for rain. In summer, the castle hosts an exhibition in its restored space. The village also has its votive festival and events organized by the town hall and local associations. The full program is published by the commune at the start of the season.
How do you contact the Le Beaucet town hall?
The town hall is located at 7 rue Coste-Chaude, 84210 Le Beaucet. Phone: +33 4 90 66 00 23. Email: mairie.beaucet@orange.fr. The office is open Tuesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. It is closed on Monday, Thursday and weekends. For administrative procedures, the commune's official website and Service-Public.fr are useful additional resources.
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