Roquemaure France
Frequently Asked Questions
On the right bank of the Rhône in the Gard, at a landing that almost touches the town centre. A few minutes on foot brings you to the old lanes and small squares shaded by plane trees.
Yes, entirely. The town takes an unhurried hour to walk, past merchant townhouses from the trading centuries, cool fountains and terrace cafes. Only Châteauneuf-du-Pape, across the river, needs transport.
The excursion to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a few kilometres away on the other bank. The village lives entirely for its vineyard: vaulted cellars at every corner, growers' shops, and at the top the ruins of the summer residence of the Avignon popes, with views as far as Mont Ventoux.
Because of Saint Valentine. A local winegrower brought his relics back from Rome in 1868 to protect the vines from phylloxera, and they are kept in the Saint-Jean-Baptiste collegiate church. Every February since then, a costumed festival in his honour fills the streets.
Built in the 14th century, it dominates the rooftops with its tall Gothic outline and houses a noted historic organ alongside the relics of Saint Valentine. It is the town's only major monument, and it takes little time to see.
Pope Clement V, the first pontiff of Avignon, died here in 1314 in the local castle, whose remains still stand above the river. It is a graver chapter than the Saint Valentine story, but it belongs to the same place.
Roquemaure belongs to the Lirac appellation, next to Tavel, whose deep rosé is among the most respected in the country. Local cellars gladly welcome passengers for an informal tasting, often poured by the grower.
The ground disappears under the famous rolled pebbles, which store the day's heat and release it to the vines at night. It is also the first regulated appellation in France, which explains its standing as a global reference.
The euro. Cards work in the cellars and shops, but keep cash for the market and small producers. In a village this size, not everything is equipped.
Simple pleasures: a market if the day allows, a game of pétanque watched from a distance, cicadas in the plane trees, an ice cream in the shade of the collegiate church. The benches by the water invite you to watch the barges go by, and that is quite enough.
