Rasteau

8 km from Vaison-la-Romaine, 3,5 km from Roaix, 9 km from Séguret, 7 km from Sablet, 6 km from Cairanne
Altitude : 200 m
Population: 696

A hilltop village specialising in wine making, Rasteau is surrounded by plains and woods. Halfway between Orange and Vaison la Romaine, and immediately opposite Mont Ventoux and the Dentelles de Montmirail, it looks out over the valley of the River Ouvèze.
Unusually, there are three church steeples in the village, which is also home to a twelfth-century Romanesque church. The ruins of a twelfth-century castle overlook Rasteau, and were formerly home to the area’s bishops. Its vineyards have been granted three distinct Appellations d'Origine Contrôlée: AOC Côtes du Rhône (red, rosé and white), the Côtes du Rhône Villages and the sweet wine 'Rasteau'. They can all be sampled (in moderation) in one of the many local caves.

What to see and visit: the ruins of the twelfth-century castle; the twelfth-century Église Saint-Didier; the Musée des Vignerons (vineyard museum along the road to Roaix).
Recommended activities: walking, horse riding, mountain bike routes, botanical trail.

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