Fort de Buoux and Vallon de l’Aiguebrun

The Aiguebrun River has a unique course: originating in the northern Luberon, it flows through the massif from north to south before emptying into the Durance River. The river carves through the limestone massif, creating a narrow gorge known as the “Combe de Lourmarin.”

The Vallon de l’Aiguebrun is a “Messinian canyon,” formed from the drying up of the Mediterranean Sea over 5 million years ago, which led to the deepening of rivers and streams.

The Aiguebrun river cuts into the Claparèdes plateau, which is made up of marine deposits known locally as “Molasse” (a biodetrital rock composed of marine organism debris and small gravels). The rocky ledges often display beautiful oblique stratifications, indicating the presence of marine currents during the deposition of this molasse. Tectonically, the site provides a complete summary of the Luberon’s geological history.

Stages of the Formation of the Aiguille

1 Deposition of Limestone in the Sea (around -130 million years ago)

2 Pyrenean-Provençal Folding (around -50 million years ago)

3 Erosion

4 New Deposition in the Sea (around -20 million years ago)

5 Alpine Folding

6 New Phase of Erosion in the Quaternary

Fort de Buoux