Rasteau

Rasteau is a village of Upper Vaucluse wine-growers. The houses spread out at the foot of a beautiful 12th century Romanesque church, and the ruins of a 12th century château overlook the village. The large  square shaded by plane trees is  right in the heart of the village.

From this square, it’s a steep climb up to the fortified wall dating back to the Middle Ages. In this part of the village, the houses are quintessentially Provençal, with brightly colored  doors and windows. Climbing further, you reach  the 12th century, former bishop’s residence,  right next to the church at the top of the village which has a panoramic view of the surrounding countryside. From here, the marked hiking path (GR4) will take you to the neighboring villages of Roaix and Cairanne.

At the edge of the village is a  magnificent wine co-operative, which allows you to taste and buy the excellent Côte du Rhône wines produced here, also of note is the Museum dedicated to the cultivation of vines which houses quite an array of old tools, instruments, pictures and documents which gives one a real insight into the knowledge and  traditional passion for wine growing in this area.