Mt Ventoux and the Ouvèze
The Côtes de Rhône, the Baronnies,
and the Dentelles de Montmirail
and the Dentelles de Montmirail
Getting orientated
Mt Ventoux and the river Ouvèze are in northern Provence.
Here Mt Ventoux rises to 1909 m above a chopped up area of
mountains and valleys just east of the Rhône. Familiarly
known as the "Giant of Provence", it is seldom out of sight.
North of Mt Ventoux are Les Baronnies, to the south is the
Luberon and in the west are the Dentelles de Montmiral.
Further west is the valley of the Rhône.
We have hesitated to use the name "Provence" as this tag is
as broad and about as useful as the expression "the south of
France". "Provence" is, variously, a huge geographical region
with vastly different landscapes, a historic province with
flexible boundaries, or a modern administrative region with very
broad boundaries. Perhaps also it is a state of mind - a place
for holidays in a benign Mediterranean climate with an
abundance of luscious food and wine.
On other pages we visit some other "Provences": those known
to Cezanne and Van Gogh, also the Alpes Maritimes and the Grand Canyon of the Verdon.
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Mt Ventoux, the Ouvèze and the surrounding country
Another familiar name for the pyramid shaped giant is the "Bald Mountain". Snow
covered in winter, in summer it deceptively appears to still have a coating of snow. As
you get closer you see that this is white limestone in which tough little plants struggle
to survive. Towards the summit none do survive.
A road winds sinuously up towards the summit, a killing climb favoured by cyclists
throughout the year, and often famously celebrated as the stage finish of a gruelling
day in the Tour de France. This gives the mountain its third nickname, the "Beast of
Provence"
The Ouvèze river rises in the mountains of the pre-alps and runs west to join the
Rhône just north of Avignon. It is a harmless clear turquoise stream most of the time
but dramatically transforms into a dangerous muddy torrent after not infrequent
torrential downpours.
The country round here is a walker's paradise. Trails run in all directions, following
ridges and valleys and winding through deep forests. The GR9 traverses the area in a
north south direction and its variant the GR91 climbs the mountain. The GR4 is
another ambitious route passing through on its way east. More approachable are
walks around the base in wooded and vineyard country. There are many GRP routes
marked extending into the curious little range of limestone hills called the Dentelles
de Montmirail and the area known as les Baronnies.
We have made two visits to this area. The first was in the early summer of 1997 when
we rented a gîte in the tiny town of Rasteau. Sixteen years later, in the autumn of
2013, we returned to stay in Buis les Baronnies.
Vaison-la-Romaine
The principal town in the area is Vaison-la-Romaine, 17 km from Rasteau and 21km
from Buis les Baronnies. It is something of a tourist mecca in summer but is worthy
of its fame, clustered around Roman ruins in the shadow of Mt Ventoux. An important
town from pre-Roman times, there are splendidly restored Roman ruins and a
medieval haute-ville with attractive old houses and narrow streets perched on a
hilltop. There are many smart restaurants and hotels and one of the best markets you
are ever likely to encounter in all of France.
On market day the whole centre of the
town becomes a maze of stalls selling
fruit and vegetables so fresh and delicious
that you want to buy some of everything.
The very best buys in summer were local
sweet and juicy Cavaillon melons,
tomatoes that were everything a tomato
should be, little bushes of basil in pots to
put on the window sill and pick from as
you cook or prepare meals. Year round,
there are stalls displaying vat after vat of
different types olives marinated in a host
of different ways, a range of tapenades,
and masses of cheese straight from the
farm.
The town sits astride the river Ouvèze and for centuries has had to
survive flash floods that are, historically, a frequent enough event. The
most disastrous of these was in 1992, resulting in 37 deaths and
almost complete destruction of the parts of the modern town along the
river banks. Remarkably the old "Roman" bridge, which must have
suffered many floods, remained standing. It says heaps for the ancient
bridge builders, although it is unlikely there are many Roman elements
left.
The Wine
The region is densely planted with vineyards and it follows that it is
swimming in good wine with small caves dotted round the countryside
offering degustation and special deals on the local product.
In Rasteau we enjoyed Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Rhône-Villages,
the tightly controlled AOC wines of the Rhône region. We found that
most locals would go to the co-op with their containers and buy the local
product ordering it by its familiar name of CDR. Lacking suitable
containers we bought the bottled Rasteau CDR Villages and found it to
be very good. When choosing to go more up market, the scope
became bewildering, though some of the most memorable wines from
this visit came from the celebrated cellars of Beaumes de Venise,
whose muscat is truly to die for. Happily, we find that many of these
labels are now available from specialist cellars in Australia.
In the Baronnies we found the very drinkable Côteaux des Baronnies
and, from the southern slopes of Mt Ventoux the Côtes de Ventoux
and Côtes de Luberon, which are well worthy of their AOC appellations.
Olives and Tapenade
Only in a market in the south of France will you really understand the place of
olives in Mediterranean cuisine and will forever more disappointed when
confronted in a delicatessen at home with a display that offers a choice
between either giant grape size olives stuffed with something or the ubiquitous
Kalamata.
In a Provencal market there is a bewildering choice from 40 or more barrels of
different olives. Black, green and mottled olives of all shapes and sizes;
seeded, unseeded, or cracked open to let the flavours into the fruit; flavoured
with oils, herbs and spices; sometimes hot and tangy, sometimes full of the
tang of local herbs and preserved citrus and sometimes just full of their own
flavour.
Then there are the tapenades, based on olives and capers and used as a
garnish or dip. You could find as many different tapenades as olives but
the popular traditional tapenade is a combination of olives, capers,
anchovies, sometimes tuna, sometimes mustard pounded into a pulp and
thinned with the best quality olive oil and lemon juice. Delicious.
In the Baronnies, olive trees are as ubiquitous as vines and Nyons, just north
of Buis les Baronnies, is widely accepted as the "Olive Capital of France". Its
specialty is a plump black olive known as the "Black Pearl of Provence".
Olives, olive oil and other olive based products are the basis of the local
economy.
Rasteau
On our first trip, as we drove out from Avignon through the Côte de
Rhône the signposts to the town of Rasteau were at first
overshadowed by those to Vaison-la-Romaine. But after a while, signs
to Rasteau began to dominate the roadside. First an inconspicuous
brown sign on a rather wonky post "Rasteau", then a slightly bigger
one in the colours of the vineyards "RASTEAU" then another like the
billboards seen along country roads advertising local motels
"RASTEAU", then at the cross roads outside the town a huge sign like
a motorway structure promoting a multitude of small caves, depicting
their individual labels, and finally on top of the local co-operative cave
at the gateway to the town was a simply gigantic hoarding
"BIENVENUE EN RASTEAU". We had arrived.
The town was tiny, boasting an épicerie, boucher and boulangerie and
two bars all of which were clustered around a central square
generously shaded by huge old plane trees. The proprietor of the
épicerie was also a general handyman who helped us out when our
gas bottles ran out. The old men of the village watched all activity in
the square from strategically placed seats outside the bars and
occasionally were persuaded to join in a game of boules.
In Rasteau our gîte backed onto vineyards and all around as far as you could see were more and more vineyards. It was a splendid location
In Rasteau our gîte backed onto vineyards and all around as far as you could see were more and more vineyards. It was a splendid location
On our return visit we found a new sign
at the entry to town. Our gîte looked as
unlovely as before. The village seemed
strangely deserted and the only
commerce remaining was a boulangerie
and one of the bars. The wine co-op,
however, had expanded into shiny new
premises with a wide range of wines to
taste and buy. This we did.
for an uninspiring gerry built structure.
The owner and her family had
apparently been movers and shakers in
the town, evidenced by a large wine
establishment bearing their name but
now falling into disrepair. She was a
widow and, as we have discovered in
other towns with other elderly widows,
made a pastime of renting out one of
the surplus family homes as a gîte.
Walking round Rasteau
The curious little range of limestone hills called the Dentelles de Montmirail lies
between Vaison and Beaumes de Venise, They take their name from jagged
outcrops of spiky limestone that form a spiny ridge jutting up from the plain
below. Strategically perched villages look like part of the landscape. Pines, oaks
and vines grow in the rich red soil, climbing as far up the slopes of the hillsides
as they dare.
Using a somewhat unreliable
local walking guide we had
several days of excellent walking,
though managing to get lost
several times. Starting out from
the villages of Gicondas,
Beaumes de Venise, Séguret and
Montmirail we could walk easy
circuits. We would set out from
the narrow streets of the villages,
walk up through the vines and
then through the scrawny trees to
scramble up on to the peaks and
stand on the rough, jagged rocky
surface to survey the surrounding
landscape.
There were also local walks in and
around Rasteau itself. On one day
we completed a circuit, starting
and finishing in Rasteau. First
following a Sentier Botanique up a
little wooded valley to a plateau
area which, at 350m is not exactly
lofty, but which commanded a view
over the surrounding countryside
where the vines stretched to
infinity. This route met up with a
GRP which wound through farms
and vineyards where it was
possible to try the local Cairanne
wine.
The track led us to Cairanne which is an attractive small town
surrounded by its old walls with two medieval gateways. It sits on
a small hill giving wide views across vineyards towards Mt
Ventoux. Here there were more caves and a choice of
restaurants for lunch. We returned to Rasteau on the GR 4 on
its way eastward towards the Dentelles and Ventoux.
Les Baronnies
Les Baronnies is the name given to
the delightfully unspoilt area in the
foothills of the Alps north and east of
Mt Ventoux . It is spectacular country
where outcrops of limestone soar up
to the sky like jagged breadknives or
descend down to the valleys in great
sweeping folds. Valleys and plateaus
are bisected by narrow gorges and
low passes. In the valleys are vines
and olive trees, apricot trees and
fields of lavender. Rustic villages and
towns are dotted about, sometimes
with the "Prettiest Village"
designation, though these aren't
always the most interesting villages.
The small town of Buis is situated on the banks of the Ouvèze,
surrounded by some of the most stunning landscapes of les
Baronnies. It has a history dating back to Roman times, becoming
a major significant feudal centre in the 11th and 12th centuries.
Vestiges of its old walls, towers and gateways remain in place and
an arcaded 14th century market place is still intact. Narrow streets
lead out from the market place and wind around the historic centre
of the town. Tilleuls, or lime trees, are a feature of the streetscapes
and a significant local industry as the flowers are harvested for the
production of tisanes.
Buis is a thriving centre for active outdoor sports, in
particular rock climbing, walking and cycling. The
impressive Rocher Saint-Julien is a dramatic backdrop to
the town - a majestic narrow knife edge where a newly
constructed Via Ferrata (a series of iron ropes and ladders
which cross the rock face) will be the longest in Europe. At
weekends all the cliffs and rock faces in the area are
dotted with brightly helmeted climbers making their way up
and down the terrifying planes of rock.
We installed ourselves in a smart and comfortable gîte on
the slopes overlooking the town. The Rocher Saint-Julien
loomed up behind the house. From our terrace we looked
through a remarkable V-shaped wall of rock to mountains
beyond. The Ouvèze runs through the base of the cut.
Buis les Baronnies
Walking in Les Baronnies
The potential for walking around here is enormous though there are very few trails that
do not involve steep climbs. The tourist offices in Buis and Vaison sell maps with
walking instructions, with walks varying from short circuits to longer cross country trails.
Then we continued to climb up around a ravine to a
ridge opposite Saint-Julien, now way down below us.
At the top there was a clearing where we joined other
walkers having lunch looking across to Ventoux, now
quite close.
The V cut by the Ouvèze
We started close to home, dipping into our folder
of Promenades and Randonnées around Buis les
Baronnies. First and easiest were walks around
the town and surrounding hillsides but it wasn't
long before we were tackling some of the higher
peaks. The first of these was called the Sentier de
l'Aiguille, the track to the needle, and sure enough
we climbed up to be level with a giant spiky rock,
maybe a bit like a needle.
Then the climb continued up and up till we were level with the folding v-shaped cliffs that we could see from our terrace. By now Mt Ventoux was in sight and the town way below us. Higher and higher and we had a picnic, taking in the spectacular panoramas. The steep rocky descent was harder than the climb but it was a very satisfying walk.
Then the climb continued up and up till we were level with the folding v-shaped cliffs that we could see from our terrace. By now Mt Ventoux was in sight and the town way below us. Higher and higher and we had a picnic, taking in the spectacular panoramas. The steep rocky descent was harder than the climb but it was a very satisfying walk.
The other big
challenge was the
circuit of Saint-Julien
whose awesome
jagged peaks just
begged to be climbed
every time we looked
up. This was a
distance of only 10km
but a climb of 500m,
following the GR9 for
some of the time,
then going along local
trails.
Again the walk down
was harder than the
up - very steep, at
times picking a way
through spiky rocks
rather than a path.
We could now see
the backside of the
rocher.
Very soon we were down to where there was a school of escalade and where climbers were spread-eagled all over the flat face of the rock.
Very soon we were down to where there was a school of escalade and where climbers were spread-eagled all over the flat face of the rock.
It was a steep climb up through the trees but not too taxing and wonderful views
opened up as we got up to the level of the rocks. We were now in a saddle and had
views in the opposite direction across to a ridge which was to be our return journey.
To give the legs a rest, car trips into the isolated country
east of Buis open up the possibility of visiting some lovely
villages - Montbrun les Bains, Reilhanette, Savoillan and,
best of all, Brantes which perches on a hillside full face on
to Mt Ventoux.
There are many other
walking possibilities in
the Baronnies. There are
circuits departing from
the pretty villages nearby
like Faucon where we did
a very agreeable circuit
walk.
Mollans, Pierrelongue and Entrechaux are other small villages linked by local walking tracks.
Mollans, Pierrelongue and Entrechaux are other small villages linked by local walking tracks.
Nyons is well worth a visit and the hilly country to its north
is off the beaten track and alluring both to the walker and
car based explorer.
In fact there is so much more to see in this unheralded part
of France we have resolved to return very soon.
Return to Top
Mont Ventoux making clouds
Mont Ventoux on skyline
Rocher Saint-Julien in middle distance
Buis les Baronnies in the valley
Roman Bridge over the Ouvèze at Vaison la Romaine
In the Market
Vaison la Romaine
Vaison la Romaine
Top: view from Rasteau
Left: Gateway out of Rasteau
Right: Gateway into Rasteau
Top: les Dentelles
Below: Castle Wall, Cairanne. Ventoux in background
Two Gateways in Cairanne
Top: with GR4
Below: with Walker
Signage for Sentier Botanique
Landscape in the Baronnies
Street in Buis les Baronnies
Street in Buis les Baronnies
with Rocher Saint-Julien above
with Rocher Saint-Julien above
Rocher de l'Aiguille
Three Versions of Signage
Rocher Saint-Julien
Rocher Saint-Julien:
at the beginning
at the beginning
Rocher Saint-Julien:
level at the saddle
level at the saddle
Rocher Saint-Julien:
now way down below us
now way down below us
Rocher Saint-Julien: brought closer
Rocher Saint-Julien: looking at the backside
See them
The Village of Faucon
On the walk near Faucon
with Mont Ventoux in background
with Mont Ventoux in background
The Village of Brantes
Mont Ventoux again
The GR4 passes through Brantes