Chateauneuf-du-Pape is a wine orientated village located between Avignon and Orange in the Provence area of Southern France. It spreads out at the foot of the remains of its fortress castle (provenceweb). From its location it has a beautiful view of plain of Comtat, the Rhone winds, and of course a beautiful view of many vineyards. This medieval village is guarded by the ruins, of an ancient chateau towering above it (beyond).
The people of Chateauneuf-du-Pape are associated with the growth of wine. The life of Chateauneuf-du-Pape is wine: growing it, producing it and selling it (beyond). It is also a well-known tourist town because of its wine production (worldonline). There is a lot of wine tasting places throughout the area. There is a place called, “place de la Fontaine,” which is located in the center of the village, and there is a number of wine tasting cellars from different domains (provenceweb). There are shops every few steps where you can sample and purchase the wine (beyond). Surprisingly, the wine production was a well-hidden secret, and did not come about until 1929.
The first record of the village was in 1157, and was called Chateauneuf-Calcernier up until the sixteenth century, because of the many lime kilns in the area (beyond). Through the fourteenth century this village was home of the Avignon Popes in the summer (beyond). The chateau has been damaged three times, once by Protestants of Montbrun and then the next time by two Calvinist assaults, and finally it was ruined for the last time by the Germans in 1944.
The main importance of Chateauneuf-du-Pape would have to be the wine production. What helps assist in the great wines is how rocky the ground is. The stones act as a storage heater, soaking up the sun, and releasing the heat long after sunset (worldonline). Apparently this is the secret that at one time no one knew about, and now it is very well-known.
Although the village was first recorded in 1157, the main recognition of the village was in the fourteenth century by Pope Jean XXII, because he chose Chateauneuf as the location of his summer residence. Chateauneuf-du-Pape actually means “the Pope's new house" (beyond). The time frame was somewhere between 1316 and 1333. This is when he decided to plant vines on the stony land (provenceweb). Pope Jean XXII built a castle named Papal. This is the castle mentioned earlier that was damaged three times.
This village was once circled by two concentric walls; the outer wall enclosed the chateau and the entire village, the inner wall enclosed the chateau and only the highest part of the village (beyond). Today the only two walls that still stand are the ones that face the village. These two walls give it a feeling of what it once was like in this area. It is odd that, as old as the building is, there are still these two walls standing high. Not only is the chateau an ancient means of the village, but also its fountains lining the twisting narrow streets, which includes the XIV century Souspiron fountain. Also you will see the ancient bread oven and olive press (provenceweb). There is also a little museum of wine making equipment at the Anselme vineyard (provenceweb). There you can find machinery that can date back to the XVI century, included is a wine press, barrels, and numerous cork screws (provenceweb).
REFERENCES:
“Chateauneuf du Pape, France.” http://home.worldonline.dk/pstr/Chateauneuf 4 March 2003
“Chateauneuf-du-Pape - ProvenceBeyond (Beyond the French Riviera).” http://www.beyond.fr/villages/chneuf_pape.html 4 March 2003
“Chateauneuf-du-Pape.” http://www.chateauneuf-du-pape.com/welcome.html 4 March 2003
“Chateauneuf du Pape.” http://www.provenceweb.fr/e/vaucluse/chateau-pape/chateauneufpape.htm 4 March 2003
Written by Tara L. Scott, 2003