Brantes

In the north of the Vaucluse, on the border of the Drôme provençale, you can find the little village of Brantes. Set in the Toulourenc valley, the village is perched on the side of the Pié-Chastel cliff where the Mont Ventoux dominates with its typical white top, all year long. Brantes also has a medieval castle, like the surrounded villages of Reilhanette and Montbrun-les-Bains. Only some parts of its walls remain as well as two cisterns.

Brantes had some name changes before it took its actual name: the village was originally called Brantulis (1073), later on Brantoe (1372), Brantoulz and Brantoux (1550), and finally has been given the name Brantes that comes from ‘pierres branlantes’ which means wavering stones.

Although the village is not really big - Brantes only counts 80 habitants – it’s a real pleasure to walk in, or actually to climb: the village mainly consists of a labyrinth of small uphill streets of limestone, called ‘calades’, and stairs who lead you through all the medieval stonework houses with arched aisles and ancient gates. It really gives you the feeling of being in the Middle Ages. Once you’ve climbed all the way up to the top of the village you have a terrific view on the valley and the Mont Ventoux.

A few monuments are to be visited such as the 17^th century church of Saint Sidoine (1684) and the ‘Notre-Dame-de-Pitié des Pénitents blancs’ chapel, dated from beginning 18^th century, now used as an information point and to show the numerous restoration work realised by the local association. You can also find the ‘Saint-Roch’ chapel and the Saint-Jean-Baptiste chapel (12^th century) as well as an old washing house and a bridge in roman style from the 18^th century. This old washing house, an attractive stone building housing a natural water source harnessed into a stone tub, is a place which will have been an important resource and gathering point for the townsfolk before modern plumbing brought water to their homes.

The habitants of Brantes are mainly artists. Some of them still make the real ‘santons’, hand made figurines from the Provence. Santon means ‘little saint’ (‘santoùn’ in provencal) and became popular during the French Revolution when the Midnight Mass and the crèches were prohibited. The ‘santons’, made of argil, represent the colorful habitants of the Provence and are made in several sizes. The figurines have a typical provencal costume with provencal handicrafts such as the knife grinder, the chest nut seller and the fishman.

In the last two centuries the ‘santon’ has known some changes and has become real artwork. Also the crèches became an important part of this typical handicraft. Not only in the big towns in the Provence you can find a ‘santonnier’ or buying his art, but also in a small village like Brantes this handicraft is still present where mostly it is a family tradition.  There are museums for ‘santons’, such as in Fontaine-de-Vaucluse and a bigger one in Marseille. Brantes’ artists also make beautiful pottery craft work and paintings which are exposed in their galleries.