I am a waterwheel on Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

For a very long time, the waters of the River Sorgue (east of Avignon) provided many factories with driving force. At first, the waterwheels were used to grind flour. Paper, textile, silk and woolen mills later found their power from this river. In the 13th century, woolen cloth called ‘blanquets’ made in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue was in high demand as bedcovers – our blankets of today.

At its peak, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue had 70 waterwheels, and in the 1800s the town competed with Avignon as Provence’s cloth-dyeing and textile centre. Just one street, Rue Jean Theophile, had 17 waterwheels.

At the entrance to the town is Le Bassin (pond) where the Sorgue River crashes into the town and separates into many branches and canals. All the canals and waterways led to the name – ‘Venice of Provence’ – the Sorgue River is extraordinarily clear and shallow. The flow divides and sparkles – water and waterwheels everywhere!

Fishing was the town’s man industry until the water wheels took over. In the 1300s, local fishermen provided the pope (in Avignon) with his daily fresh-fish quota.

With its source (a spring) just 7 km upstream (Fontaine de Vaucluse), the Sorgue River never floods and has a constant flow and temperature in all seasons.

Despite its exposed location (flat) – L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue prospered in the Middle Ages because of the natural protection from the river – and big walls and big moats that were destroyed during the French Revolution.