Grignan Tourist Attractions
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The township of Grignan lies in hilly terrain east of the Rhône Valley about 30km/17mi southwest of Montélimar. The little town nestles below the castle and around the church, forming a charming picture. The town must be explored on foot; there are parking lots in the lower town.Grignan, which was a baronry in the Middle Ages in the possession of the old Provençal aristocratic family of Adhémar-Castellane, was made famous by the Marquise de Sévigné (1626-96). The letters which she wrote to her daughter, the wife of the last count of Grignan, and to other contemporaries were published in 1726 and became celebrated for their vividness and for the details they give of contemporary life. The Marquise died in the castle at Grignan.
Grignan Château
The castle which dominates the whole town of Grignan was originally a modest building of the late Middle Ages. About the middle of the 16th C it was completely rebuilt by Louis Adhémar, a diplomat and officer, after the collegiate church had already been erected. At the time of the French Revolution a considerable part of the castle had to be pulled down by order of the authorities. The fixtures which were still available and the remains of the castle were purchased at the turn of the century by a descendant of the Adhémars. The present aspect is largely the result of a thorough but not particularly successful restoration at the beginning of the 20th C.The castle complex is entered by a gateway flanked by towers. To the south extends a large courtyard adjoining a terrace, with the Church of St-Sauveur which was built about 1660. From here there is an excellent view of Mont Ventoux in the southeast, of the Rhône plain and of the mountains of Viverais in the northwest.The principal attractions of the interior of the castle include the apartments of the Marquise de Sévigny and several rooms with old furniture (Louis XIII, Louis XV) as well as Gobelins; an "audio-visual" guiding system, with acoustic and lighting effects and projected slides accompanies the visitor.
St Sauveur
Below the Grignan castle stands the Church of St-Sauveur, built 1535-1539 on the order of Louis Adhémar by Jehan Delanche for the canonry founded in 1654. The left-hand wall of the nave abuts the hillside. A gallery in the single-aisled church has a direct entrance (17m/56 feet above the ground) to the castle; during the French Revolution it was walled up. With its ribbed vaults and traceried windows the building reveals elements of Late Gothic (Flamboyant). To the left of the gilded High Altar, with its altarpiece showing the "Transfiguration", can be seen the tomb of the Marquise de Sévigné beneath a marble slab. The paneling dates from the second half of the 17th C.
Place Sévigné
On the northern edge of the Grignan Old Town lies the Place Sévigné with a fountain commemorating the Marquise. The little square is dominated by the 12th C. belfry (a defensive civic tower). Continuing past this tower, the road leads to the Upper Town and the castle; below on the right can be seen a Classical pumproom.
Surroundings
La Garde-Adhemar
The town of La Garde-Adhémar is perched on the side of the Rhone Valley and provides beautiful views.
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Valreas
The lively little town of Valréas, 9km/6mi southeast of Grignan, was until the French Revolution the property of the Pope and is still called "Enclave des Papes". Although in the Département of Drôme. it belongs historically to the Département of Vaucluse. Agriculture, commerce and packaging are important factors in the economy.The Old Town is surrounded by spacious boulevards with plane-trees and parking places which follow the line of the former town walls. Although of modest size the fine Hôtel de Ville, once the town house of the Marquise de Simiane (15th-18th C.), is impressive. The keep dates from the 12th C. The Church of Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth has a fine south door.Valréas is one of 12 villages awarded the distinction of Côtes du Rhône-Villages. The road which follows the old town walls is lined with plane trees. The village center has an 18th century town hall, a Romanesque church and a 15th century Chapelle des Pénitents-Blancs.
Grignan Pictures
