Perched at an altitude of 1,115 ft (340 m) on a rocky promontory of the Monts de Vaucluse, the village of Gordes dominates the plain and the Calavon Valley and faces the Luberon. The medieval village developed from the 11th century around the fortified castle, a genuine fortress protected by ramparts during the troubled periods of the Middle Ages. During the Renaissance, Gordes' history was marked by the powerful Simiane d'Agoult Provençal family and, in particular, Bertrand Rambaud de Simiane, who remodeled and enlarged the castle in the 16th century. The historic part of the village today stands like a citadel surrounding its castle, the massive Saint-Firmin church, an enclosure of tall buildings, and narrow alleys baring the mistral.