Vaucluse

Vaucluse
Vauclusa (Occitan)
From top down, left to right: prefecture building and Palais des Papes in Avignon, Gordes (considered one of the most beautiful villages of France), Sénanque Abbey, Sorgue River and Nesque River
Flag of Vaucluse
Coat of arms of Vaucluse
Location of Vaucluse in France
Location of Vaucluse in France
Coordinates: 44°00′N 05°10′E / 44.000°N 5.167°E / 44.000; 5.167
CountryFrance
RegionProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
PrefectureAvignon
SubprefecturesApt
Carpentras
Government
 • President of the Departmental CouncilDominique Santoni (LR)
Area
 • Total
3,520 km2 (1,360 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)[1]
 • Total
564,566
 • Rank47th
 • Density160/km2 (420/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Department number84
Arrondissements3
Cantons17
Communes151
^1 French Land Register data, which exclude estuaries and lakes, ponds and glaciers larger than 1 km2

Vaucluse (French: [voklyz]; Provençal: Vauclusa (Classical norm) or Vau-Cluso (Mistralian norm)) is a department in the southeastern French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It had a population of 561,469 as of 2019.[2] The department's prefecture is Avignon.

It is named after a spring, the Fontaine de Vaucluse, one of the largest karst springs in the world. The name Vaucluse itself derives from the Latin Vallis Clausa ("closed valley") as the valley ends in a cliff face from which the spring emanates.

  1. ^ "Téléchargement du fichier d'ensemble des populations légales en 2021" (in French). The National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies. 28 December 2023.
  2. ^ Populations légales 2019: 84 Vaucluse, INSEE