Gigondas

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Gigondas
Coat of arms of Gigondas
Gigondas (France)
Gigondas
region Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur
Department Vaucluse
Arrondissement Carpentras
Canton Vaison-la-Romaine
Community association Ventoux-Comtat-Venaissin
Coordinates 44 ° 10 ′  N , 5 ° 0 ′  E Coordinates: 44 ° 10 ′  N , 5 ° 0 ′  E
height 87-698 m
surface 27.14 km 2
Residents 501 (January 1, 2017)
Population density 18 inhabitants / km 2
Post Code 84190
INSEE code 84049

Village view

Gigondas is a commune with 501 inhabitants (at January 1, 2017) in the Vaucluse department in the region of Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur .

The municipality is a sub- area within the Côtes du Rhône wine-growing region with its own designation of origin → Gigondas (wine-growing area) .

geography

The southern French village is located at the western entrance to the Dentelles de Montmirail rocky landscape . The place is located 15 kilometers east of the city of Orange and is traversed by the Trignon , a tributary of the Ouvèze.

The climate is Mediterranean, but it can get fresh as soon as the mistral blows.

history

Antique urns, statuettes, lamps, tiles and more that were found accidentally during plowing or during targeted excavations testify to the presence of residents during the Gallo-Roman period. In 1866 Eugène Raspail found the head of a Bacchus on his property at Château Raspail .

Gigondas was first mentioned in writing in 951 under the Latin name Jucundus , which means 'pleasant' or 'enjoyable'. In the late Middle Ages , the princes of Orange exercised their influence over the area.

Until the 18th century, wine was mainly grown in Gigondas, but then the population began to concentrate more and more on the cultivation of olives and mulberries for sericulture . It was not until 1861 that the Raspail family and especially their representative Eugène Raspail revived viticulture after his political career. Three years later, his products were shipped via the port of Roquemaure on the Rhone to Valence and Lyon and via other waterways to Saint-Étienne and Paris . The phylloxera invasion around ten years later only temporarily halted the boom in wine production in Gigondas. Since 1971, the municipality has been allowed to market its products under the Gigondas AOC designation of origin .

coat of arms

  • Coat of arms of Gigondas
  • Coat of arms of the Princes of Orange

Description of the coat of arms : The head of the shield corresponds to that of the Princes of Orange .

A silver, perforated Tolosan cross ( Croix cléchée also Croix occitane ) and twelve silver coins form a wheel rim on an azure blue background . The golden head of the shield is set with a silver-shod, azure-blue hunting horn to which a cord is attached.

Population development

year 1962 1968 1975 1982 1990 1999 2009
Residents 792 746 703 648 612 648 559

economy

The rocky landscape of Dentelles de Montmirail , a large part of which is in the municipality, and the wine make Gigondas attractive. Therefore it is not surprising that a large part of the population lives from tourism and viticulture. In addition, some olive tree plantations are also maintained. The local trade offers hiking, climbing, riding and cycling tours. Painting courses are also organized.

Attractions

  • The originally Romanesque chapel Chapelle Saint-Côme et Saint-Damien is located in the north of the municipality on the driveway to the Col du Cayron pass . It was destroyed in the 16th century and reconstructed in the 17th century. Only the apse and the transept remained of the old building , which in the new building became the nave . Broken stone and ashlar were used as building material , the latter being used as reinforcement for the corners and door and window frames. The roof is made of “ Roman bricks ”. If you look closely, you will discover numerous stonemason's marks on the stones.
  • The 11th century Romanesque church of Église Sainte-Catherine d'Alexandrie .
  • The hospices , which were renovated from 1982.
  • Wall ruins of the city that was fortified in the Middle Ages.
  • The castle and winery Château Raspail
  • The former thermal bath of Montmirail, which was in operation between 1859 and 1939, is located at the village exit in the direction of Vacqueyras .
  • The Cheminement de Sculptures contemporaines sculpture trail presents contemporary sculptures.
  • Vineyard near Gigondas with the Dentelles de Montmirail in the background
  • Saint-Cosme et Saint-Damien chapel
  • Church Sainte-Catherine of Alexandria
  • Château Raspail castle and winery

Twin cities

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Joseph Sautel: Carte archéologique de la Gaule romaine - le Vaucluse , No. 79, p. 45. Édition Lerroux, Paris, 1936.
  2. ^ A b c Robert Bailly: Dictionnaire des communes du Vaucluse , pp. 8, 70, 114. A. Barthélemy, Avignon, 1986.
  3. ^ Albert Dauzat and Charles Rostaing: Dictionnaire étymologique des noms de lieux en France , p. 1798. Édition Larousse, Paris, 1968.
  4. ^ Barthélemy: Inventaire chronologique et analytique des chartes de la Maison des Baux . Marseille, 1882.
  5. ^ Chapelle Saint-Cosme et Saint-Damien in the French language Wikipedia

Web links

Commons : Gigondas  - collection of images, videos and audio files