Villages South of Mont Ventoux

The region South of Mt.Ventoux is called by many the Tuscany of the Provence. Its lovely landscape and many historic villages remind us of Tuscany. No wonder that the Romans felt quite at home here. This area is a premier vacation spot, but you want to stay East of Carpentras and Pernes les Fontaines and avoid one spot South of Mazan, where one of Europe's largest gypsum works is located. Visit the ancient towns of Carpentras, Pernes les Fontaines and Sault. Wonderful area to rest or to spend a very active holiday. If you are a passionate and well conditioned biker, here is your challenge - bike up to the Mont Ventoux from Bédoin. You will find many fellow souls doing the same, especially during Spring and Autumn.

We cover the region around Mt.Ventoux extensively on a number of web pages. Read more about the Mt.Ventoux, Villages West of Mt.Ventoux, Vaison la Romaine, Orange and Carpentras.

The area around Carpentras is the heart of the Comtat Venaissin. A name which is still widely used but no longer has any political meaning. Often called the Comtat (county) for short, it formed together with the city of Avignon the Papal Territory, an enclave within the Kingdom of France. During the 13th century, the Comtat belonged to Alphonse, Count of Poitiers, who bequeathed it to the Holy See on his death in 1271. It became a Papal territory in 1274. The region was named after Venasque, the former seat of the bishop. Avignon was sold to the Papacy by Countess Jeanne of Provence in 1348. The Comtat Venasque and the Comtat Avignon formed the Papal Territory in France. Its inhabitants enjoyed tremendous privileges as compared to the rest of France, no taxes and no military service! The Comtat was a refuge for French Jews, who received better treatment under papal rule than in the rest of France, most likely for commercial reasons. In 1791 the inhabitants voted for annexation by France in an unauthorized plebiscite and the Papal Territory in France, which existed for 517 years, was subsequently incorporated into the Département Vaucluse. Only in 1814 did the Holy See recognize this annexation.

Let's make a tour through the Comtat Venaissin. From Pernes les Fontaines, 6km South of Carpentras, we drive along the Northern slopes of the Plateau de Vaucluse and visit St.Didier, Venasque, Mazan, Blauvac and the South rim of the Nesque Gorges (4 1/2 hour hike down the Nesque Gorge) until we reach Sault. Two side trips take us to Banon via the Plateau d'Albion and to Montbrun les Bains. Back in Sault we drive along the Northern rim of the Nesque Gorge to Bédoin, the Southern gateway of Mt.Ventoux and from there to Crillon le Brave, Caromb and le Barroux. Too much for a day tour, so you need to split it up.

Pernes les Fontaines is a busy yet wonderful historical town, the capital of the Comtat Venaissin until 1320. Its origins are Gallo-Roman and it was named originally Pernes. The Nesque river flows through the town and provides water to its many fountains. About 40 of them exist today and at some stage Pernes adopted the name of Pernes les Fontaines. The most famous one is la Fontaine du Cormoran, which shows the village coat of arms with a cormorant on top. Other fountains classified as historical monuments are the New Gate, Gigot, l'Hôpital and the Augustins fountains. The town has many 17th and 18th century town houses. View the impressive medieval ramparts and its three gates, the Notre Dame Gate with its bridge, the Villeneuve Gate (reportedly nearly sold to the US in the 1930s!) and the St.Gilles Gate. Notable are also the 15th century covered cross, the 17th century covered hall, the Tour Ferrande with its 13th century frescoes, the 12th century clock tower and 18th century bell tower. The Hotel de Brancas, the town hall, has wonderful 18th century paintings and a truly majestic staircase. Visit also Notre Dame de Nazareth, a 11th century Romanesque church. There are two interesting regional museums, Le Magasin Drapier (costumes from the Comtat Venaissin) and la Maison Flechier (local traditions).

Driving 5 km East on Rt.28 we reach the pleasant village of St.Didier, a former thermal spa with an idyllic plane shaded main street. You will find a 17th century church and clock tower. Nothing special but just a charming quiet place with a well known nougat factory, Sylvain Freres.

We continue on D28, turn right into D4 and drive up to the perched village of Venasque, one of the most stunning in the Provence. The village, an ancient bishop seat before it was moved to Carpentras, gave the name to the Comtat Venaissin. Contrary to legend the name is not connected to the cult of Venus, but probably derives from Vindos, a Celtic word for white; the village is located on top of limestone cliffs. The village is very picturesque! Park your car below the Romanesque Notre Dame church. It has a splendid altar piece and connects to a 6th century bapitstery through a vaulted corridor. It is one of the oldest baptisteries in France and Venasque's pride and fame. In early Christian times baptism took place twice a year, the day before Easter and the day before Whit Sunday (Pentecost). Walk up one of two village streets and soak in the atmosphere. You will inevitably reach the Place de Tours beneath the Saracen Towers and the remnants of the medieval ramparts.

From Venasque our tour leads us on small roads through the ancient village of Malemort du Comtat to Blauvac, perched on a hill. You find picturesque villages houses and a 16th century chateau (recently restored, privately owned). On Rt.D150 direction to Mazan stop at a Belvedere with a magnificent view towards Mt.Ventoux.

From Blauvac we continue East on Rt. D5 to Méthamis, an ancient village wonderfully located on top of a hill (visit Chapelle Ste.Foy). We continue East on D5 for 14 km until we reach the St.Hubert farm. We found this the best starting point for hiking down to the Nesque Gorge, an imposing wild canyon with fantastic rock formations. Click here for a description of this 13 km hike (4 1/2 hours). We continue on D5 past a belvedere (views to the Nesque Gorge) until we reach D943, where we turn left. After 10 km we reach Sault.

Sault, situated on the Plateau de Sault, is a UNESCO heritage site. Sault and Montbrun les Bains (11km to the North) are known for their clean air, the lavender fields and many hiking paths. Ideal hideaways in the Provence. In Sault walk the ancient alleys, the ruins of the chateau and the ramparts of the old village. L'Église Notre Dame de la Tour with its Romanesque nave was an outpost of the Priory St.André in Villeneuve les Avignon. From the terrace of the main square you have a panoramic view over the valley with its many lavender fields and Mt.Ventoux. The wonderful historic store of André Boyer, Maître Nougatier, is worth a visit. They produce a wide selection of nougat since 1887. The store is located in a side street on the right side of Sault's main street, South of the main square. Other notable products in Sault are lavender oils and essences, lavender honey, as well as essences from other aromatic plants of the Provence.

The following is a detour we recommend especially during May and June, when the lavender flowers. Lavender harvest is normally in the beginning of July. Visit the Plateau d'Albion, which stretches from Sault South and East until a couple of miles before Banon and Simiane la Rotonde. The Plateau d'Albion is thinly populated, there are only two towns, Revest du Bion and St.Christol. It is the major lavender growing area of the Vaucluse. Take a tour of the Plateau d'Albion and drive from Sault on Rt.D950 East to Revest du Bion and from there down to Banon, renowned for its goat cheese, the Banon de Banon. Visit the shop of Chez Melchio, a well known Epicerie and Charcuterie on Banon's main square, and enter the land of Banon goat cheese and long thin spicy sausages, the Brindilles (see photo on the right). From Banon drive South on Rt.D51 visiting the historic villages of Montsalier and Simiane la Rotonde, where you drive Northwest on Rt.D18 and Rt.D166 to St.Christol, with the 12th century l'Église Notre Dame et St.Christophe (richly decorated interior). Continue Northwest on Rt.D30, which brings you back to Sault.

From Sault we drive West on Rt.D1, turn left into Rt.D942 after 2.5km, which leads us along the North rim of the Nesque Gorge, a picturesque drive with a number of view-points into the gorge.

Shortly before Villes s'Auzon we reach D942 again. In the village we turn right and take Rt.D19 to Flassan, a very picturesque village with a number of ochre colored buildings. We continue on Rt.D19 Northwest in the direction of Bédoin. We reach Rt.D947, the Southern access road to Mt.Ventoux, turn left and arrive in Bédoin with its imposing church (St.Antoine et St.Pierre, 18th century Jesuit style), narrow alleys, restaurants, cafes and a respectable weekly market (Monday mornings). The village is sheltered from the Mistral and popular with vacationers. Especially during Spring and Autumn the village is full of bikers, who find an excellent infrastructure here. The region grows the highly regarded Côte du Ventoux wines.

From Bédoin we drive to Crillon le Brave, a small, formerly fortified village on a hill. It is named after Luis de Balbe de Berton de Crillon, the "Brave of the Braves", a well known general and friend of three French kings, Henri II, Charles IX and Henri III. View his statue at the main square, which offers a panoramic view over the Tuscany of the Provence. The small chateau is privately owned and little is left of the fortifications, except for the Porte Guérin.

We continue to Caromb, a historic village on the Southern slopes of Mt.Ventoux. This is a real authentic Provençal village; however well on its way to gentrification, whether you like it or not. Revisit it in 5 years time and it will look a lot more like Loumarin, Gordes, Seguret or Gigondas; nice, very neat and very old but with houses mostly owned by non-locals. Walk the narrow alleys of the old town, notable are the 14th century l'Eglise St.Maurice (triptych from 1532 by J.Lalonde and organ dating back to 1701), the belfry, the Ursuline convent and the fountain. Exiting Caromb on Rt.D13 direction to Carpentras, you pass the Cooperative St.Marc, a good place to taste the excellent Côte du Ventoux produced in this region.

Rather than driving straight back to Carpentras we make a little detour and visit Mazan, 7km East of Carpentras. Another authentic Provençal village rich in Roman and Gallo-Roman vestiges, including 62 sarcophagi on the ramparts. Notable are the village gates, the churches Notre Dame de Pareloup (12th - 14th century), Notre Dame de la Brune and Pénitents Blancs, the Causan castle as well as the numerous old village houses.