Walking tours in Provence: The Dentelles de Montmirail
Dentelles - literally meaning lacework - refers to this jagged lacework of mountains set beside the Rhone Valley. It's probably more appropriate though to extract the word from "dent" - meaning tooth - as the chain of mountains appears to be three sets of limestone teeth, soaring vertically into the sky. The Dentelles de Montmirail chain is 8km long with the highest summit reaching 730m above sea level. From the "chambre du Turc" - the limestone chamber (or tooth cavity!) - leading to the very summit, the Dentelles is a playground for walking, cycling and rock climbing.
Provence wineries and villages
Many wine producing villages are spread out along the foot of the Dentelles and their names are one’s very familiar on wine bottle labels: Vacqueryas, Sablet, Séguret, Beaumes de Venise and Gigondas. Each village is as charming as the next with beautiful old stone houses and narrow streets winding their way up to the village summit where vineyards stretch out as far as the eye can see. These villages live by the rhythm of the grapes and there are many wineries to visit and wine to be tasted on your walking holiday in Provence. The weekly Provençale markets are a great way to spend an hour or so, meandering past the stalls of local produce such as cheese, cured meat, olives and of course, wine. One of the most famous markets is on a Tuesday morning in Vaison la Romaine, a few kilometres away.
Walking Provence: Gigondas
There are 40km of hiking trails through the Dentelles, ranging in difficulty and elevation gain and many of these trails start in the village of Gigondas. The name Gigondas comes from the Roman “Joncunditas” and means “light-hearted joy”. Grapes have always grown in this small village and today, two thirds of the population still live off the vines. The wine produced is mainly red and is world renowned. Take the time on your Provence walking tour to meander through the narrow streets and admire the selection of contemporary sculptures that adorn the heights of this charming village.
Walking Provence: Vacqueyras
Located just 3km from Gigondas, the village of Vacqueyras is also another famous wine making village. Initially a roman settlement, the village became French in 1791 after the French Revolution. Today it boasts the prestigious AOC appellation for its award wining wines. The wine growers and merchants of Vacqueyras have created a discovery tour (about 8km of easy walking) through the vineyards with illustrated boards explaining the different variety of grapes and revealing the secrets of wine making.
