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Gigondas |
  Gigondas,
this little village with its great name is situated in Upper Vaucluse
at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail. This little village with
only 700 inhabitants is an absolutely essential stop for lovers of
this world renowned vintage. In Roman times the village was called
"Jocunditas" which means joy or rejoicing...its famous vintage was
already appreciated in those days.
The
region turned to single crop farming - wine-growing - following the
great frosts of 1929 and 1956 which destroyed the ancient olive trees.
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Church of Ste Catherine (11th century) Tennis, bicycle touring and mountain biking, Restaurants, 2 hotels, furnished accommodation,
Sablet
(3,5 km), Violès (5 km), Vacqueyras
(3 km), Beaumes de Venise
(8km). |
The Gigondas "appellation d'origine" was requested as early as 1924,
but was not granted until 1971. Vineyards here cover an area of 12 km2
and more than five million bottles are put on the market each year.
These wines are powerful and generous, robust and well-balanced.Gigondas
is nicely located at the foot of a hill, nestling beneath its church
which dominates all the Gigondas vineyards. The church square offers
a superb panoramic view. The Dentelles de Montmirail situated in the
Gigondas area act as a backdrop to the village and offer numerous walks.
Arriving in Gigondas via the secondary
road that runs through the lower part of the village you
will come across a succession of cafés and cellars leading up to the
Place Gabriel Andéol where the mairie and the winegrowers cooperative
are located. Leave your car here and take the time to discover this
village that is continuously being restored, developed and enhanced.
Walk up through the pretty streets and alleyways lined with stonework
houses to reach Ste Catherine's parish church with its beautiful 14th
century facade. On the way you will be able to admire the fine view
that you have of the region and which extends right to the Cévennes.
Next to the church you will be able to
visit the Hospices, via a stairway-like trail lined with 21 monumental
sculptures, the work of contemporary artists. These buildings were erected
by a religious brotherhood in 1678 to care for poor people and children.
Following the revolution, in 1800, they became a Hospice. They were then
left unused for the next 2 centuries. It was not until 1982 that these
ruins started to come to life again and little by little the Hospice was
restored thanks to the association "Gigondas d’hier et d’aujourd’hui",
the mayor, the local winegrowers and numerous voluntary efforts. Today
on the ground floor you will find wine cellars offering wine tasting installed
by the winegrowers' association, and upstairs a contemporary art exhibition.
