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VINEYARDS
AND RURAL
LANDSCAPES
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The Heritage of Water
There is nothing paradoxical about focusing on water on the wine road, for water has intimately influenced the development of the Comtat area for centuries.
The lack of water long resulted in sacred practices, as the fervour for Saint Gens, in Le Beaucet, shows and continues with the popular annual pilgrimage.
The town of Pernes-les-Fontaines is home to 40 beautiful fountains, a strong part of its identity.
Neighbouring villages are also proud of their fountains, which flow with water from the «Vauclusian springs», water absorbed by the cracked limestone in the Monts de Vaucluse. |
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The fountains in Saint Didier recall the nearby castle Thézan (15th and 13th centuries) was a spa therapy centre, as was the castle in Unang, in Malemort which still has a beautiful series of pools from the 18th century.
The Carpentras Canal totally changed the Comtadin landscape in the 19th century.
Built in 1857 through unrelenting efforts by Louis Giraud, the canal first irrigated 357 hectares, then 2642 in 1870, and 4500 hectares in 1925. |
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The increase in the irrigated surface areas means new use for the soils and the development of new crops.
To spread the irrigation, new canals known as “roubines” and “mayres” were built. Sometimes aqueducts were necessary to cross roads and rivers.
Some are outstanding feats of engineering, such as the aqueduct-bridge crossing the Auzon valley in Carpentras (18th century) to supply drinking water to Carpentras.
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Address book
Pernes les Fontaines Tourism Office
Place Gabriel Moutte
84210 Pernes-les-Fontaines
Tél. 04 90 61 31 04
ot-pernes@
wanadoo.fr
www.ville-pernes-les-fontaines.fr
Venasque Tourism Office
Grand' Rue
84210 Venasque
Tél. 04 90 66 11 66
otvenasque@
wanadoo.fr
www.venasque.fr
Paroles de Végétaux
Guided tours, events, with botanical trails
84210 Venasque
Tél. 04 90 66 00 58 /
06 22 93 55 31
www.mas-des-lavandes.com
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Maison Fléchier, Museum of Comtat Traditions
84210 Pernes-les-Fontaines
Tél. 04 90 61 31 04
Free entrance
Decoy and Fauna Ecomuseum
Place Neuve
84210 Saint-Didier
Tél. 04 90 66 13 13
Paysans Nougatiers
Route de Venasque
84210 Saint-Didier
Tél. 04 90 66 09 57
www.nougat-silvain-freres.fr
Reading material …
Paysans et paysages de l'Arc Comtadin
Mireille Gravier
édisud-CME, 2002
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