Some places are simply charming, and Visan is one of them. The small village is a visual gem, set on a low hill. Countryside surrounds it. It has delicious Cotes du Rhone Villages wines, to include the special Cuvee du Marot, and local olives to enjoy with them. Friendly people and great opportunities for hiking round out my paeans of praise.
The circuit hike I chose is one that is advertised online as the Vignes de l’Enclave des Papes (Vines of the Enclave of the Popes), but known locally as Circuit 12, or Circuit Est (East Circuit). The very helpful woman at the Syndicat d’Initiative oriented me to the maps they provide there, and off I went.
As the name implies, it heads east, through the well-preserved village center, out the old gate known as Porte Saint Martin (next to the Place de la Coconniere), and follows the old buildings ringing the historic center to the southeastern gate, the Porte du Puy Barret. From there, it was into the vineyards surrounding the village. But it wasn’t only vineyards. One of the great features about this trail is that is also passes by olive tree groves, and through forested areas, making for a nice variety of Provencal terrain to experience.
What I Learned
The Cotes du Rhone French wine region follows the length of the Rhone River from south of Lyon to Avignon. This post differentiates some of the different appellations of the Cotes du Rhone Meridionale (the southern part of this region), specifically the Vaucluse county (around Avignon).
Cotes du Rhone wines are certainly ones most people come across today. These wines are, and have been for centuries, quite popular, especially among lovers of rich, powerful red wines made from primarily Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah grapes. Kings and popes coveted wines from here. The popes even acquired select areas with reputable vineyards, such as in the Enclave des Papes, and the famous Chateauneuf du Pape. (See the history of wine in this region here.) However, there are different quality levels within the region, and even within those wines with labels bearing the words “Cotes du Rhone”.
Trail Name: Vignes de l’Enclave des Papes, (AKA: Circuit 12, Circuit Est)
Trail Type: A medium distance circuit, along almost exclusively paved or hard-packed surfaces; fairly well maintained, with generic signage.
Length: 10 kilometers/6 miles
Convenient to: Valreas, Vaucluse Department, Provence Region, France
Marking: Yellow signs on a post, and yellow rectangles (Not exclusive to this particular trail)
Continue reading Vignes de l’Enclave des Papes: Trail in a Nutshell
Vaison-la-Romaine is a small town with a big history in France’s Vaucluse district. One side, set south of the river, rises up dramatically on an isolated rock. A Celtic oppidum was here, and later, medieval era people built their homes there, seeking shelter behind its gates, relying on the rock’s impressive defensive strengths.
What I Learned
Cotes du Rhone is the name of a French wine region. It is a long region, following a lengthy stretch of the Rhone River from south of Lyon to Avignon. This post covers the southern Rhone area, the Cotes du Rhone Meridionale (as it is sometimes referred to), specifically the Vaucluse county (around Avignon), where the climate is more Mediterranean in feel than in the northern Rhone district (around Lyon). (Find information on a northern Rhone district appellation, the Appellation Saint Joseph, here.)
Continue reading Wine Notes: Southern Rhone (Rhone Meridionale)
Trail Name: Balade Romaine dans les Vignes
Trail Type: Short distance circuit; exclusively paved, well maintained, but the route itself is only marked generically.
Length: 7.3 kilometers/4.5 miles
Convenient to: Orange, Vaucluse Department, Provence Region, France
Marking: Yellow signposts and yellow rectangles
Continue reading Balade Romaine dans les Vignes: Trail in a Nutshell
Craving the colors and scents of plants in the first blush of bloom, and the warmth of a southern sun, I decided to visit the northernmost part of the largest appellation along the Rhone River, south of Lyon, where some consider the Mediterranean part of France to begin. So I really looked forward to this spring trip after a cold and dreary winter.
Ironically, the northernmost village within this appellation, was also one of the villages offering a promising wine trail. Here, where the Condrieu appellation ends, the agglomerated village of Chavanay and the Saint Joseph appellation begin. This appellation produces both luscious red wines, and aromatic, full-bodied white wines. Ideal for sipping in potentially any kind of weather.
What I Learned
Three great appellations begin about 15 miles south of Lyons. They range along the right bank of the Rhone and are, from north to south: the famous Cote Rotie, Condrieu, and St Joseph. In two of the three appellations, the Syrah varietal reigns supreme.
The Saint Joseph appellation is the largest. Its vineyards line the steep banks of the Rhone for about 60 kilometers, or 37 miles, and includes 26 villages and towns, mostly located along its shores. The vineyard soils are predominantly granitic.
Trail Name: Sentier des Vignobles a Chavanay
Trail Type: Medium distance circuit; partly paved, some hard-packed path, some sandy and rocky stretches, fairly well maintained, and fairly well-marked albeit not with the trail name as stated above.
Length: 12 kilometers/circa 8 miles
Convenient to: Vienne, France
Marking:
White and yellow rectangular stripes, sometimes painted or sometimes on a board, sometimes with the words “Chavanay 1”, (vice Sentier des Vignobles a Chavanay). Also see the typical trail signpost, above.
Continue reading Sentier des Vignobles a Chavanay: Trail in a Nutshell
