Vacqueyras

Vacqueyras is a village of winegrowers, sun quenched all year round, at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail, at the heart of Vaucluse, welcoming visitors from around the world, with exceptional features... (landscapes, culture, sports, feasts and good wine).

• Ancient ramparts : 15th century AD.
• Gate : until 1760, it was the only gate into the village. Bellfry : early 19th century
• The new gate : near the church, open in the ramparts in 1761
• Church dedicated to saint Barthélemy
• small primitive church, early 12th century ; enlarged over the years, first in the 17th century, then again in the 19th century.
• The altarpiece dates from the late 17th century, it was bought after the church was enlarged, probably partly financed by the sale of a reliquary " the silver arm " of Placid Saint, in 1699.  
• The castle, a feudal castle, was restored in the 17th century and destroyed during the French Revolution.  The main remains are the retaining walls (you can take photographs from the street of the castle and Raimbaut street) a wall with loopholes and a vaulted hall with gothic arches.  The current building is owned by the diocese, and dates from the 19th century.
• The chapel of Notre Dame de Pitié de Coste de Coa was built in 1635, with stones from the quarry of Coste de Coa, in accordance with a pledge taken during the plague of 1628-1631.
• The Chapel of Notre Dame de la Brune, 19th century.
• Great papal marker stone of Fontbonne.  It bears the coat of arms of Jules of Rovere, papal legate in 1476, who was to become Pope Jules II in 1503, and the patron of 2 great artists, Raphael and Michael-Angelo.
• La grande Font :  first public fountain of Vacqueyras, fed by the spring waters of Tombadou, probably 16th century.
• The Raimbaut Fountain, built in 1866, at a time when Vacqueyras was extended towards the roads from Carpentras to Vaison.  Sculpture of Raimbaut, inaugurated in 1899, in presence of the Provencal poet Frederic Mistral.
• The bastides
• The dovecot : this « barn » belonged to a local lord. Houses outside the village ramparts were extremely rare in the past.
• The cabanons, outside the village. They are a testimony to the time where farm work was carried out cith animal labour, and where shelter was sought near the fields.

The attraction of the wines of this commune with created a œnotourism ( Wine tourism ). Many caveaux offers their wine ranges to tasting.

In the interior of the village leaves a road which is transformed then into way suitable for motor vehicles and allows to reach the old red gypsum mines, with the “Room of the Turk” and the foot of “Dentelles”.

The Vacqueyras trail was created by the winegrowers and wine merchants of the Vacqueyras appellation.  Vacqueyras is proud to invite you on a discovery tour of our outstanding heritage.

Through this three hour long itinerary (about 8 kilometres of easy walking) you'll get to see the essential roles played by climate, land, grape variety, as well as appreciate the know-how and work involved in the making of a great wine.

15 richly illustrated boards and an enamelled lava viewing table, in both French and English, will display the secrets of this unique land, patiently modelled by generations of enthusiastic and passionate wine growers.