Gigondas, the village and its famous wine

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Gigondas, a wine-growing village in Provence

Gigondas evokes the best wines of the Cotes du Rhone, but it is also a small village of Vaucluse between Orange and Vaison-la-Romaine. The vineyards extend to the foot of the village, dominated by high hills and the white ridges of the Dentelles de Montmirail. This relatively low massif, with steep summits shaped by erosion, marks the western edge of the Alps.

The territory of the municipality has produced many artefacts from the Roman period through random ploughing or archaeological excavations. The name Gigondas refers to Joconditas, which means joy and gladness in Latin. But it most probably comes from a Roman landowner "Jucundus" who owned the "Villa Jocondatis". In the Middle Ages, Gigondas belonged to the House of Orange, and its territory was only reunited with France in 1731. Only a few ruins of the Château de Gigondas remain, which was heavily damaged during the Wars of Religion and destroyed by order of King Louis XIV. A botanical trail leads to its remains through aromatic herbs and ancient grape varieties. Baron des Adrets, a terrible Huguenot chief, besieged Gigondas in May 1563, after five days of resistance, he captured the village whose inhabitants had fled under the cover of the night. Calvinist troops attacked the parish church of Saint Catherine of Alexandria of Romanesque origin, which was repaired and enlarged in the 17th century.

A few hundred metres from Gigondas is the curious chapel of Saints Cosmas and Damian. The old Romanesque chapel was partly destroyed during the siege of Baron des Adrets. It was shortened: the east end of the old chapel became the nave. The panorama from the chapel offers a beautiful view of the village.

The Dentelles de Montmirail

The Dentelles de Montmirail are a geological curiosity: the upper layers made of Jurassic limestone were straightened vertically by the folds of the earth's crust, then finely eroded to form ridges and pinnacles. With 40 km of marked trails, it is an ideal place for walks and excursions, hikers are rewarded with splendid views of the Rhone Valley and Mont Ventoux.

The tourist office offers signposted routes from the village to Sarrazine Tower, an old watchtower, or to Menhir, a monumental stone classified in 1912 as a natural site and monument of an artistic nature, to the Cayron Pass or the belvedere of the Rocher du Midi, which offer 360° views over the Rhône Valley and Mont Ventoux. The rocky walls of the Dentelles de Montmirail also attract many climbers who enjoy more than 650 climbing routes at their disposal.

Visit Gigondas in photos : slideshow

The wine Gigondas AOC

The Romans occupied the territory during Antiquity but the cultivation of vines is only documented from the Middle Ages onwards in the territory of Gigondas. The reputation of the terroir dates back to the end of the 19th century under the impetus of the winegrower Eugène Raspail. Born in Gigondas, a fervent republican, Eugene was elected as a constituent deputy of the Second Republic after the 1848 Revolution. Opposing the regime of Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte, he went into prison and exile, then returned to his lands and relaunched wine production in 1861 in his estate, which he transformed into "Château Raspail". Eugene Raspail's wine quickly gained a great reputation but the phylloxera epidemic in 1871 ruined his first efforts. He was also a renowned scientist, passionate about natural sciences, geology and palaeontology.

Associated with the Côtes-du-Rhône appellation from 1951, the Gigondas wine is a prestigious Côtes du Rhône wine which, because of its quality, received a distinct appellation in 1971. Gigondas red wine, like other Côtes du Rhône reds, is a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvèdre grapes, whose proportions comply with the appellation’s specifications. Gigondas is a generous, well-structured red wine that goes wonderfully with game and cheese, and has a reputation for ageing well. The appellation also produces rosés and, from the 2023 vintage, white wines.

Accommodation and practical information

A selection of bed and breakfasts near Gigondas on the portal of Provence B&B

Website of Gigondas village : www.gigondas-dm.fr

Sights and activities :

• Old town
• Feudal Castle
• Church of St. Catherine of Alexandria
• Chapel of St. Cosmas and Damian
• Saracen Tower
• Prébayon monastery
• Spa "Montmirail"
• Wineries
• Dentelles de Montmirail, exploration on foot or by mountain bike
• Votive Feast 1st weekend of September
• Festival of the Vine and Wine in June
• Traversée des Dentelles running race in June

Getting to Gigondas

GPS coordinates : N 44°09'45'' - E 5°00'35''

The village of Gigondas is located in the department of Vaucluse. Gigondas is a cru AOC.

Gigondas location : altitude 100 metres above sea level, 570 inhabitants, 3 miles from Vacqueyras, 4 miles from Séguret, 6 miles from Beaumes-de-Venise, 10 miles from Vaison-la-Romaine, 17 miles from Orange, 18 miles from Chateauneuf-du-Pape.