Séguret

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The village

Séguret is close to Vaison-la-Romaine, in this part of the northern Vaucluse called "Provence of the Popes." The village lies on a steep, wooded, dome-shaped hill. At the top stand the ruins of an ancient castle. We are at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail ranges, first hills of the Alps rising above the plain of the Rhone Valley.

Séguret is on the selective list of the most beautiful villages in France. Just look at the village, which seems to be a Provençal crib setting, to understand the reason for this valuable distinction. The old village can only be visited on foot, so park your car in one of the car parks near the entrance to the north through the Porte Reynier, a medieval gate from the 12th century.

The well restored calade-lined streets run through the village from which the belfry emerges: a 17th century square tower topped by a wrought-iron bell tower. The clock at its top has only one hand. At the foot of the tower is a small, very photogenic square, with the very pretty Fontaine des Mascarons and the washhouse. At the southern end of the village is the Romanesque church of Saint-Denis, leaning against the rock face.

In the winter evening, the village looking west catches fire under the caresses of the setting sun.

From the medieval castle that crowned the top of the hill there remain only imposing ruins but partly hidden in the forest. The first fortifications were built by the Counts of Toulouse in the 11th century, the castle was enlarged and reinforced during the Wars of Religion. The summit is reached by a path that rises into the pine forest. The view is superb on the Dentelles de Montmirail and the Rhône Valley covered with vineyards.

Christmas celebrations in Séguret are well known in the region, residents perform a pastoral play and a living Nativity on Christmas Eve. The village itself is a Nativity scene setting. Winegrowing is the main economic activity. Séguret has its own appellation "Côtes du Rhône Villages Séguret", its vineyards adjoin that of Gigondas

History

The name Séguret comes from the Provençal word "Segur" meaning safety. Despite the protection offered by the ramparts and the castle, the village was taken by the Protestant chief Gaspard Pape de Saint-Auban's troop in 1563, who massacred 130 people, or nearly one in seven inhabitants.

Two superb statues from the Roman period have been found, an impressive Jupiter almost 3 metres high, in armour with an eagle at its feet, and a god carrying a mallet and a flute. The original statues are in the lapidary museum in Avignon, but copies are on display in the village in the Sainte-Thècle chapel.

The Wine Côtes-du-Rhône Villages "Séguret"

The terroir of Séguret is close to Gigondas, Rasteau and Cairanne. It was awarded the AOC Côtes du Rhône Villages "Séguret" distinction in 1967. The vineyards occupy 700 hectares, or a third of the commune's surface area. The terroir is composed of three different types, the alluvial deposits of the Ouvèze valley, the slopes at the foot of the village and the mountain terroir on the hills. The cultivated grape varieties are mainly Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre which make up the Côtes-du-Rhône.

Visit Seguret in photos : slideshow

Accommodation and practical information

Selection of guest houses on the portal of bed and breakfast in Provence

Official website of the village : village-seguret.fr

• Chapel of Our Lady of Grace
• Sainte-Thècle Chapel: an exhibition space that hosts a display of Provençal Nativity figurines in December.
• Notre-Dame d'Aubusson Chapel: it is located on a hill outside the village.
• Fountains and washhouses
• The abbey of Prébayon: ruins of a 13th century abbey in the Dentelles de Montmirail
• Weekly summer market on Thursday evenings from 5pm to 9pm, from June 15 to September 15, place des Arceaux.
• Votive festival at the end of July
• Wine Fair in July
• Fête d'hUe Vin: a convivial celebration around horses, wine and vineyards, it takes place at the end of August, it marks the beginning of the harvest.
• Soup Festival on November 1st
• Roaix-Séguret cooperative cellar: vignerons-roaix-seguret.fr

Coming to Séguret

GPS coordinates N 44°12’25’’ - E 5°01’12’’

Location : altitude 250 metres above sea level, 870 inhabitants, 4 miles from Gigondas, 6 miles from Vacqueyras, 7 miles from Vaison-la-Romaine, 10 miles from Beaumes de Venise, 14 miles from Orange, 27 miles from Avignon