L'Urgonien et le Campaniforme

13660 Orgon

The Urgonian and the Bell Beaker cultures

Orgon is a major centre for geology and palaeontology in Provence. The village of Orgon is one of those rare sites around the world that harbours an internationally recognised facies. The outcrops of chalky limestone here contain distinctive and characteristic fossils which formed the basis for the definition of the Urgonian stage – named after the Latin name for Orgon – by one of the founders of palaeontology, Alcide d’Orbigny, in 1850. These strata belong to the Lower Cretaceous. They consist of carbonate marine sediments deposited between 120 and 110 million years ago. The Calades settlement at Orgon is one of the most important and best-preserved Campaniform sites (the term ‘Campaniform’ is derived from the Latin word ‘campana’, meaning ‘bell’, which characterises the shape of the pottery from this period) in the south of France. The Bell Beaker culture is a distinctive culture that emerged in Europe at the end of the 3rd millennium BC, marking the transition from the agro-pastoral society of the Neolithic to the Metal Age. The display panels and showcases (featuring materials, tools, earthenware tableware, etc.) offer an insight into the way of life of our ancestors in the eastern part of the Alpilles. Visit the Urgonia Museum and explore the ‘Chemin de la Pierre’. Free self-guided tour.

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Listing provided by Office de Tourisme Intercommunal de Terre de Provence (updated by the source on 18/05/2026).

Tourist office data: DATAtourisme, Licence Ouverte (French open licence), updated 28 October 2026.