The Dentelles de Montmirail

A paradise for climbing, hiking and oenotourism near the Mont Ventoux

Already known around the world as a rock-climbing paradise, the Dentelles de Montmirail will seduce you with the remarkable harmony of the landscapes and the endless rows of grapevines cultivated on the terraced land, all of which you can discover along the many hiking trails that wind through the massif.  Hiking paths, mountain bike circuits, the Wine Road... the Dentelles de Montmirail offer a multitude of activities.


This craggy mountain stretches out over 5 miles between Carpentras, Vaison la Romaine and the Mont Ventoux. It's name comes from the saw-toothed limestone crests, made so by erosion. The Dentelles stand out distinctly from the surroundings of olive orchards and AOC vineyards, ringed by the deep Mediterranean blue sky.

Its rocky faces, visible from the plain, are highly coveted, as much by birds like the Eurasian eagle-owl that nests there throughout the year, and the Wallcreeper that returns every spring, as by rock-climbing enthusiasts who can practice their sport in all seasons, aspiring to ever higher cliffs. 


If you prefer to just enjoy nature without having to scale the side of the Dentelles, here are a few remarkable sites where you can picnic while contemplating the horizon:

  • The Dentelles Sarrasines and the Grand Montmirail,
  • The crest of the Salle,
  • The crest of Cayron and of Saint-Amand (culminating at 730m),
  • The Alsau and the Cayron passes,
  • The Grotte d’Ambrosi cave and the Rocher du Midi (belvédère).


The Dentelles de Montmirail surrounded by vineyards

The massif of the Dentelles de Montmirail

The Dentelles de Montmirail, col Cayron

Vineyards at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail

These places were already inhabited in the time of Ancient Greece. Fragments of Greek pottery have been found there, more specifically on the heights of Notre-Dame d’Aubune in Beaumes de Venise, where you can also admire the 12th century chapel and its bell tower ornamented with Greek-inspired fluted pilasters along its entire height or the village coat of arms representing the three Golden Tau (antique cross).

In 1744, before Gigondas became famous for its wine, a sulphurous source had been discovered there, which the Bourbousson brothers then began exploiting in 1859. Its renown was most of all due to the thermal spa of Montmirail, which attracted crowds in quest of eternal youth for nearly a century (1850 to 1940), until the source ran dry.  


The Dentelles de Montmirail is also a land of famous vineyards. This terroir produces the prestigious wines of Beaumes de Venise (AOC Muscat Beaumes de Venise) and Rasteau, with their reds and sweet wines, and Gigondas and Vacqueyras with their Côtes-du-Rhone red wines. A wine road winds through the massif and lets you go and meet the wine-makers and visit their estate. 


The Dentelles de Montmirail comprises 11 towns, situated in the heart of the massif or on its edges: Beaumes de Venise, Crestet, Gigondas, La Roque-Alric, Lafare, Le Barroux, Malaucène, Sablet, Suzette, Vacqueyras, Vaison la Romaine to the north of the Dentelles, and Séguret, listed among the most beautiful villages of France.

 

Dentelles de Montmirail - 84190 Suzette


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