Murs is a common French, department of the Vaucluse and the area Provence-Alp-Coast of Azure.

Walls, Driven in Of Provence, car its name of the term Muros which indicated at the time Gallo-Roman an important construction located on a attended way. These relays were also called mutationes .

The inhabitants are called the Mursois .

Geography

Situation

Walls is located in the department of the Vaucluse in the area Provence-Alp-Coast of Azure. The village is in the middle of the Western part of the Monts of Vaucluse, halfway of the road (D4) connecting Apt to Carpentras.

The commune of Walls is bordering, of Gordes, Joucas and Roussillon in the South, of Saint-Saturnin-the-Apt and Lioux in the East and of Venasque and Méthamis in North. Walls is to 8 km of Gordes by D 15, to 4 km of Joucas by D 102A and D 4 and to 17 km of the town of Apt.

Topography

The village, to 500 m of altitude, is nested on the sides of a hill, in edge of a trough fault. The totality of the territory of Walls is on the adret of the Mounts of Vaucluse. The borders north and west of the commune follow the watershed and cross three collars: the collar of the Line, the collar of Walls (or collar of Puy Griffon) and the collar of the Three terms.

The commune of Walls extends on 3126 ha, of the plain of the Calavon to the watershed of the Mounts of Vaucluse. The culminating point, to 803 Mr., of this vast territory is a hill in the wood of Curnier, near the collar of the Line. The point low of the commune, with the altitude of 248 m, is with the locality Tuilière , in the south of the commune.

Geology

The Monts of Vaucluse are composed of Calcaire S of the Crétacé inferior. However, the outcrops limestones are, in certain places, notched by ditches filled with sandy, marly grounds and sandy covers of alluvia. Fertile oases in the middle of poor grounds limestones, these ditches attracted the men who could develop agriculture to with it. It is the case with Lioux, Sault, Simiane, Banon, etc

The village of Walls is established in edge of one of these trough faults. It extends on both sides from the village following a south-western north-eastern line, roughly speaking between dimensions 400 and 530. Whereas the remainder of the territory of the commune consists of poor grounds, dry where limestone often levels, the ditch of Walls concentrates the totality of the cultivated grounds of the commune and shelters wetter grounds (locality the Ponds , lake with Tourbe).

These ditches are connected to the plain of the Calavon by great faults dug by water, formerly abundant. On the three faults which connect the ditch of Walls to the valley, two are located on the territory of the commune: the combe of Véroncle, which played a major economic part in the history of the commune, and the combe of Vaumale, which forms the limit is commune. The throats of the Sénancole, where is the Abbaye of Sénanque, are located on the territory of Gordes.

Hydrography

Even if files attest that water was formerly more present in the Mounts of Vaucluse, the geological nature of the grounds and the weak mode of precipitations never allowed the presence of important river. No perennial brook runs near the village.

The Karstification of limestone causes the infiltration of water in the basement and prevents its flow on the surface, except notable for the trough faults where brooks exist during the winter. The injection of a fluorescent substance showed that all the water infiltrated on the southern slope of the Mont Ventoux and on the Mounts of Vaucluse flashed back in a single place, with the Fountain of Vaucluse.

Climate

Walls is located in the zone of influence of the Mediterranean Climat. The summers very hot and dry, are thus intersected with stormy episodes sometimes violent one. The winters are soft. Precipitations are not very frequent and snow rare, but not exceptional. The southern exposure of the village allows an important sunning (approximately 300 days per annum). For as much, Murs undergoes the attacks of the Mistral, wind of the cold North which blows almost a third of the year in Vaucluse. Often violent one (the points to 90 km/h are frequent), the mistral is accompanied by a sunny time and a limpid sky.

In summer period, the high Température S associated with the weakness of precipitations create one period of Sécheresse from one to two months according to the Indice of Gaussen (temperatures in degrees Celsius twice higher than precipitations in millimetres).

Flora and fauna

The vegetation is composed mainly of forests of holm oaks, white oaks and pines of Alep, alternating with less wooded zones of garrigues. The ground is covered with shrubs and herbaceous plants accustomed on the poor ground and the dryness. They are kermes oak, Nerprun S, Viorne S, Genévrier S, Genêt S and aromatic plants such as the Romarin, the Thym, the Sauge, etc The flowers are very few and discrete: aphyllantes of Montpellier called also eyelet blue of Montpellier (small blue flower of Garrigue which appreciates released spaces), dwarf irises, Ciste S, Leuzée S, Lavandin S, Orchis, etc

Below the village, the Gros oak of Walls is largest of the pubescent oaks pluricentenaires of the commune. The circumference of its trunk is of eight meters.

Fauna is represented by small mammals (Musaraigne S, Campagnol S), birds of which Rapace S (Buse S, Faucon S), gallinacés (Perdrix), many Reptile S of which Lézard of the walls ( Podarcis muralis ) and Serpent S like the grass snakes at levels ( Elaphe scalaris )) and Insect S like the chrysomèles of mint ( Chrysolina herbacea ) or “spit-blood” ( Timarcha tenebricosa ).

The large raptors are the subject of a decree of Protection of Biotope since April 25th, 1990.

Protected areas

The commune of Walls belongs to the Regional natural park of Luberon. It has on its territory of the pieces of eight zones classified by the park like sectors of major biological value:

• Sénancole (703 ha);
• Combe de Véroncle - Wood of Audibert (235 ha);
• Jaumières (8 ha);
• Ravine of Sumian (13 ha);
• Peaks of Plains (20 ha);
• Boissière - Combe de Vaumale (278 ha);
• Puy de Griffon - Peaks of Walls (299 ha);
• Combe de Lioux (16 ha).

History

Heraldic

Origins

It is proven that the hills of Walls were inhabited as of the Paléolithique. Prehistoric sites were discovered with the localities Buisse , Chatemuye , Charlesse , Baysses and the Plains . This important establishment seems related to the layer of Silex of Walls, one of most important of Vaucluse. The number of, scraper arrowheads and other axe of flint is such as certain prehistorians think that the site of Walls was to feed out of flint all Western Provence.

In addition, more than two hundred flint mallets were discovered around Murs. These blocks of flint, whose weight varies few hundreds of grams to several hundred kilos, were equipped with one or two grooves in order to be fixed on a handle out of wooden. These mallets were used to break the rocks of Grès to find flint there.

Towards -750, into full age with Iron, the tribe of the Ligures starts to build Oppidum S in all Provence. It is the case with Gordes, Saint-Saturnin-the-Apt, Lourmarin and Murs. Indeed, the site of Walls is a strategic site, halfway of Apt and Carpentras. In addition, its situation in the Mounts of Vaucluse shelters it incursions of barbarians into the plain of Calavon and makes it possible its occupants to enjoy from a point of view which goes until the Luberon to the south.

The ligure oppidum built on the hill of Walls, with dimension 537, had thus, pareillement with all the others oppidums of the area, being made up of lines of huts built out of limestone hardcores bound by Argile. In fact then the Cavares seize the ligure oppidums and will build new fortifications. Combined with the Voconces and the Allobroges, Cavares tried to resist the Roman legions. In vain.

In -124, the Pax Romana is established in all the area.

Antiquity

With Roman Peace, the strengthened oppida become obsolete and of the isolated farms settle in the plain of Calavon to cultivate the muddy and fertile grounds. In parallel, in Gaulle Narbonnese, of large cities are created like Apt (Civitas Julia Apta) or Cavaillon (Colonia Augusta Cabellio). The highway network between these cities develops, the oldest transalpine road, the Via Domitia is renovated, the Pont Julien is built. On these main roads, relays called mutatio are built all the six to eight miles (9 to 12 km). Sit of a strengthened relay and of a lodging of stage, the Castrum de Muris is the seat of a great marketing activity as attests it the many Roman coins discovered with Rocque Jeanne or with the Plaines .

A funeral Urn Roman of the 1st century out of blue glass, containing the calcined remainders of a child, an oil lamp and a coin with the effigy of Auguste was also discovered in 1953 during work of restoration of the Maison Crillon .

The Middle Ages

At the 5th century, the barbarians invade the Gaulle Narbonnaise. The Burgondes, then the Frank , settle with the Castrum Matured which is surrounded by new fortifications. With the baptism of Clovis in 392, Catholicism becomes official religion and a clergy arranged hierarchically is set up in all the frank kingdom.

Whereas Christianity appeared as of the 2nd century, it will be necessary to await 439 to see appearing the first bishop of Carpentras and the 6th century so that this last chooses Venasque like residence. On this date, Murs passes under the dependence of these bishops. Those, which are at the time less pastors that soldiers, continue to strengthen Castrum de Muris fearing the frequent attacks of the plunderers.

The seat of Buckwheats

At the 8th century, the Sarrasins from Spain invade the south of France. Charles Martel stopping their projection towards north in Poitiers in 732, they move then towards the east. Buckwheats will seize Arles and of Avignon in 735 and will be driven out of Provence only in 739. Starting from this date and until the middle of the 9th century, Buckwheats will multiply the short incursions in Provence on the basis of fulcrums which they preserved on the Mediterranean coastline. In the neighborhoods of 850 and after having destroyed a priory located on the slopes of Pascaron, the legend tells that Buckwheats vainly made the seat of the post of watchtower strengthened of the bishops of Carpentras during seven years.

The presence of tombs sarrasines on the esplanade of the castle seems to attest that if the seat took place well, the exit was not that which the legend grants to him.

These are five burials, directed towards raising which were discovered, proving that Buckwheats have, at one time, occupied the strengthened station of Walls. They are besides the only vestiges of this presence which does not have, in all the cases, perdurée after 972 when the count of Provence Guillaume drove out Buckwheats of his grounds.

Agoult

In this found peace, the bishops of Carpentras yield the defense of their grounds to the counts de Provence and to their vassal. In 1004, the German emperor Henry II yields to Wolf d' Agoult the ground of Sault. Start then for Murs one period of more than four centuries under the domination of the house of Agoult.

They are Agoult which will decide construction of a keep with Murs during the 12th century. It is then about a kind of barracks where the soldiers and the bayle live which represents the lord in his absence. There remains of this keep a tower and part of the rampart in the western part of the current castle. In same time, dwellings are built in the south of the castle on the slopes of Franqueau. It is also during this period that the doctrines of Vaud impregnate the spirits in Provence.

The Of Vaud ones

In 1175, a Lyons merchant, Pierre Valdo, preaches a return to the primitive Church. Renonçant with any richness, it distributes its goods to the poor. Its disciples, the Of Vaud, spread themselves quickly in Piedmont, into Dauphine and Provence. Valdéisme extends quickly in Provence, which will be worth with Avignon to be besieged and ruined by Louis VIII in 1226. In Murs, the diffusion of the Vaudoise doctrines coincides with the construction of the church of the village in the dependences of the castle at the 12th century.

Astouaud

September 24th, 1462, the grounds of Walls are yielded by the house of Agoult to the house of Astouaud.

The new lord, Pons d' Astouaud was a faithful friend of Foulques d' Agoult of the hands from which it accepted the ground and the seigniory of Walls. All two fought side by side besides when in April 1481 the civil war of Provence burst. They carried out many battles against the Franco-Provençal ones which wished to attach Provence to France. August 15th, 1481, their troops were nevertheless defeats and Provence was attached to France on January 15th, 1482.

Become French, the village of Walls enters then during a time of peace. March 5th, 1543, the beautiful sister of the lord of Walls, François d' Astouaud, is confined at the village whereas it returned visit to her sister. His/her son, Louis of Balbes de Berton will become later the Brave man Crillon and will be designated by Henry IV like “the first captain of the world”.

Two years later, Murs will return again in the History, in a more tragic way this time.

The massacre of Bérigoule

Since 1540 indeed, the lords and bishops of Provence started a war against the Vaudois of Luberon, considered as heretics. In April 1545, twenty-two villages whose Mérindol and Cabrières-in Avignon will be burnt. Fleeing the massacres of Cabrières and Lacoste, twenty-five women and children of Vaud flee towards Murs where the population is for a long time won over to the of Vaud one, the priest himself declared himself of Vaud and the farm of Berarde shelters since the 15th century the family Serre, big family of Vaud. They find refuge in the caves of Bérigoule, in the north of the village.

In the week from April 20th to 27th, the Mormoiron captain, representative of the vice-legate of the Pope in Avignon, learn the presence from of Vaud in the caves of Walls. In front of the entry of the caves, it orders discharges of Mousquet S, but nobody leaves. It then lights a fire to smoke out the plunderers which all will die choked. Their mission accomplished, the soldiers of Mormoiron will leave the village not without to have decimated the herds feeding around the village.

In reprisals, the inhabitants of Walls, will multiply the attacks against the catholics with Malaucène, Carpentras, Joucas and this until the end of the wars of religion in 1595.

Mills of Combe de Véroncle

These violences, did not prevent, in same time, the development of the village, in particular with the construction of a vast hydraulic complex in the combe of Véroncle, in the south-west of the village.

The way connecting Murs to Gordes by the throats of Véroncle was for a long time attended by the Faux-saunier S and the clandestine blasting powder manufacturers.

Between 1546 and 1584, Aymar d' Astouaud made build with the outlet of the combe of Véroncle, a stopping of 132 m intended to close the bed of the brook. This work, indicated under the name of Stopping of the Ponds, and whose important vestiges remain today, formed a small pond of fishing below the village and made it possible to supply with water the ten mills downstream, along the brook. These mills, of which four are located on the soil of Walls were built in second half of the 16th century and functioned until the end of the 19th century.

One finds upstream downstream:

• the mill of the Ponds (Walls)
• the mill of Unscrewed (Walls)
• the mill of Charlesse (Walls)
• the mill of the Well of Cata (Walls)
• the mill Jean de Marre I (Gordes)
• the mill Jean de Marre II (Gordes)
• the mill Cabrier (Gordes)
• the mill of Grailles I (Gordes)
• the mill of Grailles II (Gordes)
• the mill of Cortasses (Gordes).

The two mills upstream, the mills of the Ponds and of Unscrewed respectively were built in 1581 and 1573. They are corn mills built on the same plan. A gun (or gourgareu) whose vestige best preserved is in the mill of the Well of Cata, made it possible to convey the water of the brook until a rodet which, while turning, put moving the upper millstone, thus producing flour which was conveyed thanks to the mule track curving at the bottom of the combe. The grinding stones are still visible in many mills, in particular in the mill of Unscrewed.

Contrary to the mills of Gordes which belonged to private individuals, the four mills of Walls were the property of the lord.

Rebirth

The 17th century is one boom, as well for the family of Astouaud as for the village of Walls. The majority of the current houses build and carry on their lintel the date of their completion: 1600, 1623, 1665, 1680. The Notre-Dame vault of the Hello is built in 1625 below the village to replace an old vault dedicated to Saint-Daniel. A windmill is built in the east of the village. It takes the name that the provençaux ones give to the east wind: the auro .

The castle undergoes some installations and is increased until becoming the building which one knows today. A secrete way is dug to the farm of Charlesse.

The mursois have two baker's ovens with the center of the village and in the hamlet of Beylons, as well as one laundrette at the western entry of the village. These three constructions belong to the lord and their use is conditioned by the payment of a tax. Only the laundrette of Franqueau (frank water) below located the village is free of tax.

This period ostentation for the village continues until the great epidemic of Peste of 1720.

between the collar of Lagas and the the Durance. This stone wall dries high of six feet was kept day and night by the soldiers of Comtat Venaissin who had order to kill any person trying to cross the wall.

Walls was then the last village of Provence before the wall. Its inhabitants were wedged by the wall in north and the epidemic of plague which arrived by the south. Not being able to flee, the men of Walls decide to fight the plague. Men-at-arms are sent to Apt on October 8th, 1720. But this defense is vain and on November 17th, the village of Roussillon is touched in its turn. Observing that inhabitants flee to take refuge in Murs, the doors of the village are closed and kept day and night. In June 1721, the plague still approaches reaching Joucas.

In September, the situation develops quickly. The disease reached Avignon and from there is propagated in all Comtat Venaissin. The wall is turned over then against those which had built it and it from now on provençaux is cured the or surviving ones, which makes use of it to be protected.

The medical line will be raised only on December 1st 1722. Whereas more than eighty thousand victims are to be regretted in all Provence, the village of Walls, protected by the wall and its ramparts, does not have seems you it not sudden of significant rise of the number of deaths.

After the epidemic and until the Revolution, the lords of Walls settle with Carpentras and forsake the village passing there only occasionally. These slack bonds explain why the inhabitants of walls did not help Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine d' Astouaud when this last was captured then imprisoned by the revolutionists with Carpentras. The last lord of walls will die in prison on September 18th, 1794. With him the dynasty dies out which will have reigned on the village during more than three centuries.

Modern time

After the end of the family of Astouaud, the seigneuriaux goods are distributed without clashes between the two principal families of Walls: Vien and Vayson. Consequently, these two families will dispute the administration of the village. Vien, whose presence in the village is attested since the 15th century takes the head of the royalist Parti, then imperialist. Vayson, mursois since the 17th century forms the Republican party. Vien will manage the village until the fall of the Second Empire. It is then Vayson which charm the administration of the village to them. After the war of 1870, Bruno Vayson will refit the communal roadway systems and will modernize the village, equipping it in particular with public lighting.

The common one leaves shaken First World War. On the 350 inhabitants who account the village, 22 perished with the face. The inhabitants then request André Vayson to become mayor. This one will answer: “I accept, provided that the old quarrels are forgotten and that we walk hand in the hand again”.

The village will cross the Second world war without damage, being used sometimes as refuge with the resistant ones. At the summer 1944 in particular, whereas a German detachment crosses the village, of the shots are drawn on him since the castle. There will be however neither arrests nor reprisals against the population.

Contemporary time

In the Years 1950, the village is in ruin. The population did not cease decreasing since the 19th century. The Rural migration striking the village and per hour when the young people leave the village for the city, Murs seems condemned to become a phantom village. It is without counting Leon Floret and Fernand Fabre (and its assistant Julien Bergodaa) who, following one another the town hall of Walls, will put their dynamism at the service of the commune. The village will be restored, the collapsed walls will be raised.

The cultures diversify (truffle cherry trees, lavender, oaks, apricot trees, etc…), of the tourist infrastructures are built (camp-site, hotel restoring, VVF, lodgings) and the second home of the townsmen multiplies in the hills. The village tries nevertheless to resist the sirens of tourism which could devour the heart of other villages. Blotti in the shade of its hills, outside the tourist roads, the village looks at passing the modes and the times without claim: Walls, sloping village, car its pride of its cultures, its vines, its production of cherries and remains an authentic rural district.

“We were there in the time of the Plague. My family underwent in turn the affront of the members of a league and the Protestants; we had accommodated the cathares persecuted and fought for independence of Provence; we saw Buckwheats shaving the moûtiers in the plain… All that occurred like the Sunday strollers, and we remain”.

Demography

Graph of the evolution of the population 1794-1999

Administration

Walls is one of the eight communes of the Canton of Gordes which added up: 5889 inhabitants in 1999. The canton belongs to the second district of Vaucluse.

Walls belongs to the jurisdiction of authority of Apt and great authority as well as trade of Avignon.

Political tendencies

With the European referendum on the treated of Maastricht (poll of September 20th, 1992), on: 315 registered voters: 239 voted, which represents a participation of 75,87% of the total, that is to say an abstention from 24,13%. There was a victory of the not with 123 votes (53,25%) against 108 votes (46,75%) marked yes and 8 (3,35%) of blank votes or null.

With the referendum on the European constitution (poll of May 29th, 2005), on: 315 registered voters: 278 voted, which represents a participation of 79,20% of the total, that is to say an abstention from 20,80%. There was a victory of the against with 162 votes (60,22%), 107 votes (39,78%) being pronounced for and 9 (3,25%) being blank votes or null.

With the presidential election of 2007, the first turn saw dissociating at the head Nicolas Sarkozy (UMP) with 33,03%, followed by Ségolène Royal (PS) with 21,71% and Francois Bayrou (UDF) with 20,80%, Jean-Marie Le Pen (FN) with 11,01%, then no other candidate not exceeding the 10 votes (3,06%). The second turn saw arriving largely at the head Nicolas Sarkozy with 61,44% (national  result;: 53,06%) against 38,56% for Ségolène Royal (national  result;: 46,94%).

To the legislative elections of June 2007, the voters of the commune, which belongs to the Second district of Vaucluse, contributed to make elect Jean-Claude Bouchet (UMP) with 61,35% of the voices compared with 55,6% on the scale of the district.

Intercommunality

Walls belongs to the Communauté of communes of Rousset Foot in Luberon which gathers 8 communes located between “Small Luberon” and the Mounts of Vaucluse. Created on October 21st, 1992, it included/understood 6211 inhabitants in 1999 for a surface of 216,68 km ², that is to say a density of 28,66 inhabitants to the km ²

Town planning

In addition to the borough, the urbanization is limited around the allotment of the plains in the south and the hamlet of Beylons in north.

The distribution of the grounds is the following one (data for a total of):

The construction standards are rather strict on the whole of the commune: all new construction must have at least three stone frontages; the height of the buildings is strongly limited; some standards of paraseismic Construction.

Walls and low walls, by tradition, are always made local stones. They are known as “dry stone” when they are without mortar or with “sharp joints” when they are without apparent joints.

Budget and taxation

The budjet 2007: Operation costs 787 436,82 euros and Investments 1.152 159,2 euros

The Taxe of dwelling rose in 2006 with 9,50% for which it is necessary to add the departmental rate of 7,20%. The same year, the Real estate tax on the built properties amounted to 9,47% to which is added the departmental rate of 9,72% and the regional rate of 2,36%.

The Visitor's tax lies between 0,20 and 1,50 euros.

Twinnings

There does not exist twinning of communes.

Economy

The economy rests on three sectors: agriculture, tourism and craft industry.

Agriculture

Agriculture exploits 23% of the grounds: the fields which surround the village are dedicated to the culture of cereals and the Colza.

The orchards especially consist of cherry trees (hearts of pigeon, burlats and morello cherries), culture encouraged by the development of the industry of the candied fruits with Apt. One finds also apricot trees, almond trees, some apple trees and in the south of the commune, where altitude allows their culture, of the olive-trees.

Vineyards are also established in the south of the village and profit from AOC Côtes of Ventoux.

The culture of the Lavandin, formerly very present, tends to decrease.

The breeding is declining: some herds of Ovin S still feed on the commune.

The Apiculture was a traditional activity on the commune as documents attest it dating from the Middle Ages.

was listed by the Regional natural park of Luberon.

Well, laundrettes and fountains

The lack of water surface has constrained the inhabitants of Walls to dig the rock to reach the ground water. The vestiges of well and fountains are thus numerous in the village as in its hamlets.

Each farm was formerly to have a water point. One still finds these wells with the hamlets of Beylons and Vergiers, in the farm of Cauquière or the ruins of the farm of Vaumale. With the image of that which is located at the exit east of the village, the wells around Murs all are built on the same model: the mouth of the excavation dug in the rock is covered with a dry stone borie equipped with a door out of wooden.

The rare sources were arranged with stone basins as it is the case with the fountain of the Foxes on the way of the collar of Walls or at Fond of the Ave (into of Provence: fountain of the sheep).

The villagers had three laundrettes. The laundrette of the western entry of the village is best preserved; the laundrette and its fountain were used by the Lavandière S until the middle of the 20th century. The two others, the laundrettes of Franqueau and Garenne are in a worse condition.

Crosses and oratorical

Five crosses are disseminated in the neighborhoods of the village.

The cross of Cairades on the road of Beylons carries the date of 1863. At that time, Napoleon III is emperor of French and the Vien family, imperialist, manage the village.

Like the cross of Plantades, in the west of the village and the cross of the Plains in the south, this cross was forged by the Auphan family. 17th at the 20th century, Auphan were Forgeron S of wire father. In addition to these three crosses, one owes them the grids of the castle and the reinforcement of the bell-tower. These wrought iron crosses accommodate the travellers on the three roads which lead to the village.

The two other crosses, out of stone, are in the borough. The cross on the street which leads to the castle is a cross known as cross occitane , emblem of the town of Toulouse and its area. Actually, it is about the emblem of the commune of Venasque which, by successive marriages was transmitted to the counts de Toulouse. This cross carries the chronogram of 1725. Is a question it can be there of a thanks after the village was saved by the epidemic of plague which was completed three years earlier.

The other stone cross is placed in a stone shelter with the angle of a wall in the middle of the village. It carries the date of 1749. One can still see there the trace of an offering following the sending, in 1746, workers, fodder and draft animals to strengthen the wearing of Toulon. One is then in full war of succession with Austria and the armies austo-Sardinians threaten the French port.

In addition to these three, a small oratory dedicated to the Virgin is at the exit east of the village.

Bories

The borie term, in the tourist language relating to Provence, indicates a dry stone hut which was used of barn, stable or seasonal dwelling to a farmer of the XIXe century in an open piece (on another commune) or too distant from its farm. These buildings are disseminated around the borough: for example with the Plains, Beylons or in Calamels.

However most beautiful construction is in Chalottes. One finds there a true sheep-fold, very vast and made up of two parts separated, thus being able to accommodate the shepherd and his herd.

Ruins

With 19th and 20th century, pushed by the rural migration, from many Mursois deserted the village to get busy in the cities. The demographic crisis that the village knew left of many marks in the hills where ruins and vestiges of farms are numerous.

Among most remarkable, one can quote the ruins of Vaumale where remains a well, Jas of Griffon and a little further its sheep-fold both in ruin, or farm of the Falls ruins it.

Certain ruins were rehabilitated and are inhabited today. It is the case of the farm of Mourre Blanc or the mill of the Ponds in the combe of Véroncle.

Personalities related to the commune

• Louis de Balbes de Berton de Crillon (1541 with Murs - 1615), soldier.
• Andre Vayson de Pradenne (1888 - 1939), Prehistorian.

Traditions

The Carmentran : the Carnival of the Lent (fallen in disuse after 1918 but which lives again for some time) during which many Mursois are disguised, walk in the streets an effigy of paperboard chewed before making him a lawsuit. This court reproaches to the character all the small nuisances or incidents which enamelled the life of the inhabitants. The inevitable sentence with roughing-hew will exorcize the misdeeds passed, and the population will set out again healthily for a Community New Year's Day of life.

Among diverting the masquerades, one will raise the round of the “bouffetaires” to the enfariné face, vêtus of nightdresss and capped cotton bonnets, which continue with the tail-leu-leu with their bellows by singing old women rengaines of Provence.

The votive Festival , Sunday after the August 15th, and its contests of balls Game of bowls or play of Provence.

For a few years, these festivities have been attended by a younger and thus more mobile population, the proposals for leisures being more numerous.

To deepen

Related articles

• Common of Vaucluse
• History of Vaucluse
• Saving in Vaucluse
• Tourism in Vaucluse
• Regional natural park of Luberon

External bonds

• Walls on the site of the national geographical Institute
• Walls on the site of INSEE

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