Beaumes de Venise

If you're coming from the D7 from Caprentras, the village of Beaumes de Venise - in Provencal also called 'Beaumas the Veniso' – appears at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail. The Provencal village with its stone houses, as it were built into the huge massif that in this way became an onshore natural protection against the Mistral. The massif Dentelles de Montmirail is a beautiful and less than 8 km long mountain range - Montmirail comes from Latin and means admirable mountain - and with his typical form with projections, (dentelles) resulting from erosion of rocks, is easy to recognize.

Beaumes de Venise owes its name to the many prehistoric caves (Beaumes) in the 'Comtat Venaissin' (corruption of Venice) in the hill below the village, hidden, like the Rocalinaud and Ambrosi caves. Located on the north side Rocalinaud caves are perhaps the most impressive: the opening of the entrance into the slope is less than 18 meters high and is accessible only by a close and narrow path.

The small village has been inhabited since ancient times and that has certainly left its mark: on the west side of Beaumes de Venise at the foot of the hill with the Ambrosie caverns and dominated by the ‘Rocher du Diable’ (Devil's Rock), lies the 12th century Notre Dame d'Aubune chapel. The chapel, whose clock tower is classified on the list of  National heritage, featuring a Provencal Romanesque art inspired by Antiquity. The best way to get there is by foot: from the north side of the mountain there are two paths leading to the chapel.

The St Roch chapel, built in 1601 and completed in 1629 after the plague, the ruins of the Saint-Michel chapel and the remains (tower and wall) of the 12th century feudal castle - a castle with its fortifications, it is said, made Beaumes de Venise as one of the mightiest fortified strongholds of the Comtat Venaissin in the Middle Ages - are evidence of a prestigious past.

Beaumes de Venise is surrounded by rolling hills and sunny vineyards, to be found also on the 'Dentelles de Montmirail: its chalky soil brings forth a specific wine, such as the famous Muscat Beaumes de Venise. But do not forget to taste the red wine of Beaumes de Venise, the Côte-du-Rhône and Côtes du Ventoux wines in the various caves that Beaumes de Venise houses.

Center_Beaumes_de_Venise_Map.pdf

Surroundings_Map.pdf