Gigondas is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region in Southeastern France.
Gigondas represents the main gateway to the west of the Montmirail laces, which are located on its territory and thus constitutes a popular stopover town for climbing and hiking enthusiasts.
The Dentelles de Montmirail are a small chain of mountains, located just to the south of the village of Vaison-la-Romaine.
They are foothills of the highest peak in Provence, Mont Ventoux, which is situated just to the east. The dramatically jagged shape of their peaks was formed by horizontal strata of Jurassic limestone being folded and forced into a nearly upright position and subsequently eroded into sharp-edged ridges and spikes. The highest peak of the Dentelles is St-Amand, at 734 m (2,400 ft). The range, which is about 8 km wide, offers over 600 trails for walking, rock climbing, and mountain biking. The foot of the Dentelles is surrounded by vineyards of the Rhône Valley.
Tourism and main attractions
- Montmirail lace.
- Green theater.
- Chapel of Saint-Côme-et-Saint-Damien de Gigondas.
- Church of Sainte-Catherine-d’Alexandrie from the 11th century and Romanesque style.
- The Hospices (restored from 1982).
- Remains of fortifications.
- Chateau Raspail.
- Former thermal establishment of Montmirail, which was in service from May 26, 1859 to 1939, only accessible by the road from Vacqueyras.
Wine
While the village was known for its ‘eau purgative de Montmirail’ in the 19th century, it is now known for wines. Gigondas AOC wine is produced in Gigondas.
Gigondas is a French wine Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) in the southern Rhône wine region of France. It is primarily a red wine region, with a very small amount of rosé wine produced. No white wines carry the Gigondas appellation.
Considered a little brother to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the wine is moderately prestigious and can age well when treated with care. Gigondas AOC wine is produced exclusively in the commune of Gigondas, in Vaucluse.
Shortest distances by car
From Paris: 6 hr 37 min (670 km) via A6 and A7
From Marseille: 1 hr 39 min (122 km) via A7
From Nice: 2 hr 59 min (281 km) via A8
From Toulouse: 3 hr 30 min (361 km) via A61 and A9
From Monaco: 3 hr 12 min (309 km) via A8
From Andorra: 5 hr 17 min (487 km) via A9
From Madrid: 9 hr 54 min (1,066 km) via A-2 and A9
From Moscow: 32 hr (3,180 km) via E30/M1
From Belgrade: 15 hr 37 min (1,593 km) via E70 and A4
From Istanbul: 25 hr (2,542 km) via A4
From Bern: 5 hr 11 min (513 km) via A1
Main information
Area: 27 km2
Population: 430
Coordinates: 44°09′53″N 5°00′19″E
Language: French
Currency: Euro
Visa: Schengen
Time: Central European UTC +1
See here France travel guide
See here Spain travel guide
See here Pyrenees travel guide
See here Andorra travel guide
