Apt, is a pretty, typically Provencal town in the heart of the Luberon, among its many attractions, it is the world capital of candied fruit.

World capital of candied fruit

Located in the heart of the Luberon , Apt stands out as the capital of the Luberon. This pleasant, typically Provençal town is renowned for the quality of the products of its region. Identified as the world capital of candied fruit, Apt has the honor of being ranked among the “Remarkable Sites of Taste“! Notice to gourmets, you are here in a country where you eat well ! Moreover, connoisseurs know it, the weekly market is the unmissable event to fill your basket with local products. This city will also seduce you with the charm that emanates from its small shady streets, its many squares with pretty fountains, its beautiful mansions and its Romanesque and Gothic style cathedral, classified as a historical monument.

Inhabited since Prehistory

In the background of this decor stretch on one side, the landscapes of the lavender-colored Luberon and on the other, the Monts de Vaucluse where the ocher-tinted hills stand out. Concealing strategic qualities, the site it occupies has been inhabited without interruption since remote times of prehistory (Paleolithic). Its current name is also a reminiscence of the Roman colony Apta Julia founded in 45 BC. AD by Julius Caesar and whose plan can still be recognized in the current layout of the streets. From the 6th century, Apt became a bishopric, so a cathedral was built there, the town was surrounded by stone ramparts, there was a large weekly market and its influence spread around.

The must-see places

Here are the must-see places to visit in Apt:

• The Sainte-Anne Cathedral :

This magnificent cathedral, adorned with the majestic Sainte-Anne covered with gold leaf, stands out in the heart of the city of Apt on a Roman infrastructure. It is the most remarkable historical monument of the city, indeed the building brings together more than 1000 years of successive architectural phases, ranging from the Carolingian period to the 20th century.

• The Apt Museum :

The museum allows you to discover an exhibition retracing the history of the economic activity of the Pays d’Apt Luberon, through its three major industries which advocated in the region: earthenware, ocher and candied fruit, including Apt is the world capital, and all three of which have made it famous.

• The house of candied fruit :

Free and open access, the museum and multimedia space of nearly 100 m2 transports you to the world of candied fruit in the heart of the Luberon. From Antiquity to the present day, take the time to discover the secrets of candying the candied fruits of Provence by browsing the spaces embellished with exclusive films. Also awaken your senses with the olfactory trail at your disposal throughout the visit. Wooden scent diffusers contain the soft sweet scents of our candied fruits. It’s up to you to find them!

• Place de Bouquerie :

Place de la Bouquerie is the beating heart of the city where travelers and peddlers stopped on market days. The fountain made up of a large basin allowed the animals to drink (Bouquerie from the Latin bocaria means “butcher’s shop”). From this basin rises a column whose capital supports a statue called “La Mourre” (1882), the work of a local sculptor, Auguste Mourre.