Baronnies
Encyclopedia
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Mont Ventoux
Mont Ventoux is a mountain in the Provence region of southern France, located some 20 km northeast of Carpentras, Vaucluse. On the north side, the mountain borders the Drôme département. It is the largest mountain in the region and has been nicknamed the "Giant of Provence", or "The Bald...
in Southern France
Southern France
Southern France , colloquially known as le Midi is defined geographical area consisting of the regions of France that border the Atlantic Ocean south of the Gironde, Spain, the Mediterranean, and Italy...
.
Today most of the Baronnies is part of the département
Départements of France
The departments of France are French administrative divisions. The 101 departments form one of the three levels of local government, together with the 22 metropolitan and 5 overseas regions above them and more than 36 000 communes beneath them...
Drôme
Drôme
Drôme , a department in southeastern France, takes its name from the Drôme River.-History:The French National Constituent Assembly set up Drôme as one of the original 83 departments of France on March 4, 1790, during the French Revolution...
(a part of the région
Régions of France
France is divided into 27 administrative regions , 22 of which are in Metropolitan France, and five of which are overseas. Corsica is a territorial collectivity , but is considered a region in mainstream usage, and is even shown as such on the INSEE website...
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes
Rhône-Alpes is one of the 27 regions of France, located on the eastern border of the country, towards the south. The region was named after the Rhône River and the Alps mountain range. Its capital, Lyon, is the second-largest metropolitan area in France after Paris...
). Smaller areas in the East and South belong to the départements of Vaucluse
Vaucluse
The Vaucluse is a department in the southeast of France, named after the famous spring, the Fontaine-de-Vaucluse.- History :Vaucluse was created on 12 August 1793 out of parts of the departments of Bouches-du-Rhône, Drôme, and Basses-Alpes...
, Hautes-Alpes
Hautes-Alpes
Hautes-Alpes is a department in southeastern France named after the Alps mountain range.- History :Hautes-Alpes is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
and Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence is a French department in the south of France, it was formerly part of the province of Provence.- History :Nord-de-Provence was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
(part of the région Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur or PACA is one of the 27 regions of France.It is made up of:* the former French province of Provence* the former papal territory of Avignon, known as Comtat Venaissin...
). The area of roughly 2000 km² (772.2 sq mi) is sparsely populated; the 1999 census counted only 22,000 inhabitants. Since the 17th century les Baronnies, especially its eastern parts, suffered from land flight due to harsh economic conditions. Starting in the 1980s land flight has stopped and the population is now increasing especially in and around the towns of Nyons
Nyons
Nyons is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-History:Nyons was settled in the 6th century BC as Nyrax by a Gallic tribe, probably the Segusiavi or the Sequani...
, Buis-les-Baronnies
Buis-les-Baronnies
Buis-les-Baronnies is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Mirabel-aux-Baronnies
Mirabel-aux-Baronnies
Mirabel-aux-Baronnies is a commune in the Drôme department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.Perched on top of a hill, Mirabel is renowned for its mild climate and beautiful scenery...
, Faucon and Puymeras
Puyméras
Puyméras is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Main sights:*Church of St. Michael, originally built in Romanesque style*Clock Tower, remade in the 18th century...
. There are plans to create the Parc Naturel Régional des Baronnies. The area is paradise for hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, mountaineering
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
, rock climbing
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
, cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
, horse-riding, hang gliding
Hang gliding
Hang gliding is an air sport in which a pilot flies a light and unmotorized foot-launchable aircraft called a hang glider ....
and paragliding
Paragliding
Paragliding is the recreational and competitive adventure sport of flying paragliders: lightweight, free-flying, foot-launched glider aircraft with no rigid primary structure...
.
History
Legend has it that Hannibal, the Carthaginian leader crossed les Baronnies with his elephants during the Second Punic WarSecond Punic War
The Second Punic War, also referred to as The Hannibalic War and The War Against Hannibal, lasted from 218 to 201 BC and involved combatants in the western and eastern Mediterranean. This was the second major war between Carthage and the Roman Republic, with the participation of the Berbers on...
(218 - 201 B.C.). Later the area retired Roman soldiers were given land here. After the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
collapsed in the 3rd century, hundreds of years of invasions by Franks
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
, Lombards
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
, Saracen
Saracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
s and marauding bands followed. During this period local fiefs
Fiefdom
A fee was the central element of feudalism and consisted of heritable lands granted under one of several varieties of feudal tenure by an overlord to a vassal who held it in fealty in return for a form of feudal allegiance and service, usually given by the...
started to fortify villages and consolidate power. In the 11th century the area was part of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. During the Barons of Mévouillon consolidated their power over a large part of les Baronnies, they ruled for roughly 300 years from their impressive and established their capital in Buis-les-Baronnies. As a result of a family feud in 1125, the western part of les Baronnies was ruled by a different line of Mévouillons. They called themselves Barons de Montauban, hence the name "les Baronnies" (plural). They established their capital in Nyons
Nyons
Nyons is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-History:Nyons was settled in the 6th century BC as Nyrax by a Gallic tribe, probably the Segusiavi or the Sequani...
. Within a short period of time both had to sell their possessions to the Count of Vienne
Dauphin de Viennois
The Counts of Albon were minor French nobles in south-eastern France, in the Rhône Alps region.Under Guigues IV, Count of Albon, who was nicknamed le Dauphin or the Dolphin from the dolphin on his coat of arms, they took a new hereditary title, Dauphin of Viennois , named for the region around...
, nicknamed le Dauphin (the dolphin was his coat of arms), who ceded his territory to the King of France in 1349 to pay his debts.
Similar to the Luberon
Luberon
The Luberon or Luberon Massif , also called Lubéron, has a maximum altitude of 1,256 m and an area of about 600 km²...
, the Baronnies was a stronghold of Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
in the Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
. It suffered heavily during the French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
(1562-1598). Two of the most notable military leaders came from the Baronnies: Charles Dupuy-Montbrun, the Protestant leader from Montbrun-les-Bains
Montbrun-les-Bains
Montbrun-les-Bains is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.The commune is well known for its spa treatments for managing respiratory disease and other medical disorders. The village is also very popular with cyclists, with cycle routes leading to the popular Mont...
and Faulque Thollon de Sainte Jalle, the Catholic leader from Sainte-Jalle
Sainte-Jalle
Sainte-Jalle is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
. After a short lived economic revival the pest struck in 1629 and then again in 1652. The population was decimated.
The period from the 18th century to modern day was marked by economic decline and land flight. Only in the 1980s were the Baronnies "discovered". Tourism started to develop and the area between Vaison-la-Romaine
Vaison-la-Romaine
Vaison-la-Romaine is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France....
and Nyons
Nyons
Nyons is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-History:Nyons was settled in the 6th century BC as Nyrax by a Gallic tribe, probably the Segusiavi or the Sequani...
started to become very popular with tourists and retirees.
Towns and Villages
The Baronnies has two historic towns, NyonsNyons
Nyons is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-History:Nyons was settled in the 6th century BC as Nyrax by a Gallic tribe, probably the Segusiavi or the Sequani...
and Buis-les-Baronnies
Buis-les-Baronnies
Buis-les-Baronnies is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
. There are many rustic ancient villages, most notable are Brantes
Brantes
Brantes is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-References:*...
, Faucon, Mirabel-aux-Baronnies
Mirabel-aux-Baronnies
Mirabel-aux-Baronnies is a commune in the Drôme department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.Perched on top of a hill, Mirabel is renowned for its mild climate and beautiful scenery...
, Mollans-sur-Ouvèze
Mollans-sur-Ouvèze
Mollans-sur-Ouvèze is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Montbrun-les-Bains
Montbrun-les-Bains
Montbrun-les-Bains is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.The commune is well known for its spa treatments for managing respiratory disease and other medical disorders. The village is also very popular with cyclists, with cycle routes leading to the popular Mont...
, La Motte-Chalancon
La Motte-Chalancon
La Motte-Chalancon is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Orpierre
Orpierre
Orpierre is a commune in the Hautes-Alpes department in southeastern France. The village has multiple venues for sport climbing nearby; one is directly to the north of the village.-Population:-References:*...
, Puymeras
Puyméras
Puyméras is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.-Main sights:*Church of St. Michael, originally built in Romanesque style*Clock Tower, remade in the 18th century...
, Rémuzat
Rémuzat
Rémuzat is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Rousset-les-Vignes
Rousset-les-Vignes
Rousset-les-Vignes is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Sainte-Jalle
Sainte-Jalle
Sainte-Jalle is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:-References:*...
, Séderon
Séderon
Séderon is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-References:*...
and Venterol
Venterol, Drôme
Venterol is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.-Population:...
. Also notable is the castle of Aulan near Montbrun-les-Bains
Montbrun-les-Bains
Montbrun-les-Bains is a commune in the Drôme department in southeastern France.The commune is well known for its spa treatments for managing respiratory disease and other medical disorders. The village is also very popular with cyclists, with cycle routes leading to the popular Mont...
.
Main economic activity is agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
. Nyons is the center of the local olive tree
Olive Tree
The Olive Tree was a denomination used for several successive centre-left Italian political coalitions from 1995 to 2007.The historical leader and ideologue of these coalitions was Romano Prodi, Professor of Economics and former leftist Christian Democrat, who invented the name and the symbol of...
cultivation with numerous oil mills, an olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
cooperative and an olive tree/olive oil museum. The olives grown in Nyons and les Baronnies have an AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
) quality label.
Tourism has expanded, especially in the western parts of the Baronnies. It is important that the plan to create the Parc Naturel Régional des Baronnies is approved soon. It is however strongly opposed by many landowners and the real estate developers behind them.
External links
- les Baronnies Official Tourism Site
- Village of Mirabel-aux-Baronnies www.mirabelauxbaronnies.fr