Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The command office of Joucas came into being in the late 12th or early 13th century, when the fief of Joucas, originally owned by the Agoult family, was transferred to the Hospitallers of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. The latter established a command office, typical of the religious and military settlements of the order at that time. The village, mentioned in 1071 under the names of Jocadae or Jocadium, thus becomes a strategic place in the region, before being deserted in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries.

At the beginning of the seventeenth century, after the destructions linked to the wars of religion, the commandery was partially rebuilt. The current remains, located at the top of the village, bear witness to this turbulent history. Joucas, like other communities in Luberon, also welcomed Vaudian families between 1460 and 1560, a persecuted Protestant community that was a lasting sign of local identity. Most of these inhabitants adopt the Reformation, and the village changes hands several times during religious conflicts.

The prehistoric shelters of Baume Brune, located nearby on the cliffs between Joucas and Gordes, reveal a much older human occupation. These 43 shelters, of which only 8 are decorated, have been studied in archeoacoustics. Shelter No. 12, the most decorated, is distinguished by its black paintings and a remarkable acoustic, where the reflected sounds are the most intense. These discoveries underline the symbolic and functional importance of the site from prehistoric times.

Today, the command office, although privately owned, remains a key part of Joucas' heritage. The village, classified in the Luberon Regional Natural Park, attracts visitors for its preserved medieval architecture, its caladized alleyways and its history related to Hospitallers. The remains of the commandery, including a chapel, recall its past role in the religious and defensive life of the region.

The geographical context of Joucas, perched on the Vaucluse Mountains and protected from the mistral, explains its choice as a defensive site. The visibility offered from the village allowed to spot enemies from far away, a strategic advantage shared by other villages perched in the Luberon. The town, now rural and oriented towards tourism, also preserves Gallo-Roman traces and an oil mill, testimonies of its rich agricultural and artisanal past.

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