Le Barroux, Provence, France
Le Barroux is a medieval town located between Carpentras and Vaison-la-Romaine. There is an interesting castle in the town, and close to the village you can also visit the Benedictine abbey of Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux.
Parking in Le Barroux
We arrived at the center of the town and parked the car at a small square (1; GPS: 44.137578, 5.100764) at Rue Saint-Denis. You can also leave your car on a bigger parking lot located at the edge of town (2; GPS: 44.138399, 5.100026).
Strolling the town
Then we walked to our destination, which was the castle from the twelfth century, rebuilt in sixteenth century in the Renaissance style (A; GPS: 44.137351, 5.099404). It was largely renovated having suffered over the years up to World War II. Well fortified and strategically positioned, it's a fascinating place which has had a chequered history. The castle is partially open to the public, the ticket price is 5€ per person (children enter for free).
It's also well worth taking the time to explore this quiet medieval village, which still retains its character and has not become another commercial tourist center. Because it is located on a hill, you can have beautiful views of surrounding Vaucluse mountains and of course the Mont Ventoux.
Abbaye Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux
About 3 km from the town, in the heart of a pine forest there is the abbey of Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux (Abbaye Sainte-Madeleine du Barroux) famous of Tridentine Masses (or, in other words, Latin Masses) and Gregorian chant. Interestingly, it is very new - was founded in 1978. To the abbey leads a fairly narrow local road, although the traffic is virtually none and there is no problem with access. We park the car in a large parking lot at the abbey buildings (3; GPS: 44.153130, 5.098359). The buildings look very neat and clean. In addition to satisfy the spiritual needs, there is also the possibility to purchase local products in the boutique managed by the Benedictines.
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