France Cycle Touring Mount Ventoux Chateauneuf Pape

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From Mont Ventoux to Chateauneuf du Pape

Provence France

Wine tasting from the Mont Ventoux to Châteauneuf du Pape
Far from the crowds, come and discover the natural wonders of la Provence: olive groves, fruit trees and wine! During your stay you’ll go from the beauty and history of Avignon, to the heart of the Dentelles de Montmirail with its small villages and its world-famous Côtes-du-Rhône wines… like Vacqueyras & Beaumes de Venise. A wonderful finish to the week are two nights in the village of Châteauneuf du Pape with plenty of time to discover and enjoy.

Vacqueyras
Vacqueyras is a village famous for its wine. The old village is enclosed in a circle of buildings forming a protective wall. The guard tower in front (photo) dates to the 11th and 12th centuries, and has marks of the Templiers Knights.
The wines: Vacqueyras was awarded its own appellation in 1990. Red, white or rose wines may be produced but, in practice, only a small amount of white grape varieties are planted. Half of the blend must be of the Grenache grape, the rest is usually Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsaut.

Beaumes de Venise
This village is naturally sheltered from the strong Mistral wind. It is one of the charming little villages of the Comtat Venaissin, a well known holiday resort, very busy in summer and appreciated for its mild climate in winter. It owes its name to the many caves (les balmes) found on the hillside. With a population of 2070 people, this 1903 hectare village is situated 8km from Carpentras, 32km from Avignon and 20km from both Orange and Vaison la Romaine.

Châteauneuf and the Papal tradition of planting vine
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a medieval village on the side of a hill, guarded by the ruins of an ancient chateau towering above. From the chateau hill you have an outstanding view in all directions, mostly of vineyards, of course. Off to the east and south, the Rhône winds across the fields, and the afternoon sun turns it silver. The village streets are narrow, curving around the hillside or climbing up and down between the houses. The buildings are old, but everything is very thoroughly restored, and this is clearly a tourist town, and its purpose is to sell wine. The village was once circled by two concentric walls. The outer wall enclosed the chateau and the entire village, as far as the main road at the bottom of the village (now in front of the Office de Tourisme). The inner wall enclosed the chateau and only the highest part of the village. A literal translation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, "the Pope's new house", is actually true. The Popes of Avignon built a summertime château (their summer palace) here to get away from the hustle-bustle of the Palais. Apart from the foundations, only two walls (towers?) remain of the chateau, but they're the ones facing the village, and they're still high and imposing, giving a good feeling of what it was like here centuries ago.
Vine cultivation, already known to the Gauls, was widely developed by the Romans. Monks were the first to clear the land and cultivate these vineyards and Bishops were instrumental in extending vine cultivation. In 1157, in keeping with Roman tradition, Geoffrey, the Bishop of Avignon, planted vines and personally managed his own estate and was most certainly the owner of a vineyard located in his fief in Châteauneuf.