Apt, Vaucluse

Apt is a town in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. It is located on the left bank of the Calavon, about 41 miles (66 km) east of Avignon. Apt is the main town of the beautiful Luberon mountains, an area known for its charming villages and natural landscapes.

The town has an important place in science because it gave its name to the Aptian age, a time period during the Early Cretaceous era, millions of years ago. This helps scientists understand the history of Earth and the creatures that lived long before humans.

Geography

Apt is located north of Aix-en-Provence and the river Durance. It sits in the valley of the river Calavon, also known as the Coulon, near the slopes of the Luberon mountain.

Climate

Apt has a hot-summer mediterranean climate that is close to a humid subtropical climate. The town usually has about 68 days each year where the temperature drops below 0 °C (32 °F). It also has a few very cold days and many warm days each year. The highest temperature ever recorded in Apt was 43.9 °C (111 °F) on June 28, 2019, and the coldest was −14.9 °C (5.2 °F) on February 12, 2012.

Geological age

Apt is where scientists got the name for the Aptian, a special time period in Earth's history. This time, called the Early or Lower Cretaceous, happened from about 125 million to 112 million years ago. A scientist named Alcide d'Orbigny first used this name in writing in 1840.

History

Apt has a long history. It was once an important town for a group of people called the Vulgientes. Later, the Romans destroyed it, but Julius Caesar helped rebuild it. Over time, the town faced attacks but was also rebuilt by local leaders.

There are stories about a religious leader named Auspicus founding a special church area in Apt, though the first clear proof of this comes from a meeting in 314. Important old music documents were found in Apt, showing that music was a big part of life there many years ago.

Jewish history

Jews lived in Apt as far back as the 1300s. Records show they were involved in money lending and had their own area of the town. By 1420, Apt had one of the larger Jewish communities in the region.

Ecclesiastical history

In 1365, leaders from nearby areas met in Apt and made important decisions for their churches. They also offered special rewards for people who visited a certain church and showed respect for special items there.

Population

Sights

The main attraction in Apt is the church of Sainte-Anne. People started building it around the year 1056, but it wasn’t finished until the late 1600s.

Apt used to have big old walls around it, but now those walls have mostly been turned into wide streets. Many of the town’s roads are still narrow and twisty. Archaeologists have found many old Roman items near the town. One famous old bridge called the Pont Julien, which crosses the Coulon river, was built around the year 2 BC. Some experts think it might have been built much later than the 2nd century.

Economy

The area around Apt is known for growing wine, honey, truffles, and fruit. Some of this fruit is turned into crystallized fruit using both big machines and careful handwork. A big company called Delta Plus Group has its main office in the city.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in France

Apt has friendly partnerships with towns in other countries. These are called "twin towns" or "sister cities." Apt is partnered with:

• [Bakel], Senegal
• [Boussu], Belgium
• [Thiene], Italy