Mazan

This little town nestling at the foot of Mont Ventoux in the centre of the Vaucluse department enjoys an unrivalled location. Some 28 km² of its territory is devoted to agriculture and wine-growing, which produces the famous Cotes du Mont Ventoux. It is also very well known for its fruit, wines and truffles.

It is by following the thread of the Auzon, a small river that crosses the village, that you will discover Mazan and its heritage. The richness of archaeological excavations attests to the importance of the city since Antiquity. The gates of its ramparts dating from the 12th and 14th centuries are evidence of its medieval past, as is the church of Pareloup (12th and 15th centuries) which has been altered several times. It houses works by the sculptor Jacques Bernus, a native of Mazan.

In the north-east part of Mazan you can visit the Allee des Sarcophages: this cemetery is surrounded by a succession of stone sarcophagi from the 6th and 7th centuries, found in the fields in the 18th century. We know that in olden times there were hundreds of them along the ancient way between Carpentras and Mormoiron, and they are reminiscent of those of the Alyscamps in Arles.

Some illustrious lords have left beautiful residences in Mazan, such as Château de Sade, now home to an elegant 4* hotel. A little further on, you'll find the Château des Causans, built on the rampart near the Porte de Mormoiron.

The historical and folklore museum is housed in the 17th-century chapel of the white penitents. It presents various aspects of traditional rural life in the past. You'll discover a collection of tools, traditional clothing and a reconstruction of a late 19th-century peasant kitchen.

Around the village, you'll be able to admire the countryside and landscapes via the many rural footpaths (around 150 km) that criss-cross Mazan. On Monday mornings, visit the weekly herbal market held in front of the old town hall on Place du 11 Novembre.

An event not to be missed: Since 1725, once a generation during the Carri festival, the people of Mazan have had the time of their lives, mimicking the town's administration and notables. A parade traditionally features the consuls mounted on mules, the lord's chariot drawn by twenty-seven horses, followed by several other chariots, including the snail float and the bottle judges. It promises to be a merry and picturesque bazaar.