Cairanne

This Côtes du Rhone  village which was once a garrison settlement for the Knights’ Templar, and after 1312 became a base for the Knights Hospitallars, produces a rich red wine that is full-bodied and fruity, with a smooth finish.

The village has two quite distinct parts – the old village with a population of 80 – high on the top of the hill and the village proper below with a population of 850. Most of the buildings in the old village date from the eighteenth century except the old ramparts which date back to the 12th century when first the Knights Templar and then the Knights Hospitaller lived in the here. A steep stairway leads up to the keep and then on to the St Roch chapel built in 1726.  A pathway along the ramparts of 1123, which surrounds the old village affords panoramic views of Mont Ventoux and Mont Saint-Andéol. On the path round the battlements are two round towers and a square one called the “Templars’ Tower”.