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History of the Village

Vacqueyras was the fatherland of the famous troubadour of the 12th century, RAIMBAUT, and of the famous Napoleonic surgeon IMBERT DELONNES. An old village with narrow streets climbing up to a 12th century church, with vestiges of a VASSADEL castle.

> VACQUEYRAS

The origin of Vacqueyras are ancient ; vestiges go as far back as prehistoric and Gallo-Roman times. In the Middle Ages, Vacqueyras was part of the Principality of Orange;  the church of Vacqueyras was mentioned, in 1137, as being the property of the bishop of Orange. In 1210, Guillaume d'Orange exchanged Vacqueyras against the lordship of Uchaux, property of Raymond VI, the Count of Toulouse. Vacqueyras thus entered what was then called the Marquisat of the Drôme, and was soon to become the Comtat Venaissin, a property of the pope, after the Albigensian Crusade. Vacqueyras was only incorporated to France in 1791. Like most villages, Vacqueyras long lived in autarchy; a little of everything was cultivated, but olive-trees and winegrowing were already a major activity. In the 18th century, larger scale farming and trades developed ;  mulberry trees for silkworm breeding and garance, alongside winegrowing, which became the leading activity in the 20th century.

Nested on a hilltop, the village only developed beyond its walls after the French revolution. Until then, just few farmers lived in isolated farmhouses while the other inhabitants lived inside the rampart walls, built in the early 15th century. The only access to the village was the low gate, commonly called Le Porche. A second opening was created in the rampart walls in 1761, on the church square.

> THE CHURCH

Standing at the top of the village, the church underwent quite a few changes before becoming what it is today. The oldest parts are, on the left, the big tower, which was originally a defense and watchtower in the 12th century. After the wars of religion, it was connected to the small Romanesque vault of Ste Anne, on the right, which was a church in the 12th century, (East-West exposure). Later, in 1680, the nave was created, carried by the rampart wall, on a North-South axis. In the first half of the 19th century, the side walls were added. Dedicated to St Barthélemy, the church has a beautiful altarpiece that was recently restored.

Facing the church, on the square, we find the " chateau ". This construction was built in the early 19th century. It was built on the ruins of the old castle of Vassadel, the lords of Vacqueyras from 1274 till the Revolution. The old site of the castle and its structures are quite visible ; it is clearly delimited by a well preserved high enclosure wall, built with large stones, along the chateau wall and the rue Dauphine.

 

 

 

RAIMBAUT DE VACQUEYRAS, troubadour of the 12th century

Raimbaut was one of the greatest troubadours of his time. According to various manuscripts from 13th century, he was the son of a poor knight of Provence, from the castle of Vacqueyras. He was born around 1155-1160. The castle of Vacqueyras was then a stronghold of the family of the Baux, which had inherited the principality of Orange.

Raimbaut’s fame undoubtedly began at the court of the princes of Orange. But, as of 1188, he stayed in Italy, with the count of Malaspina, at the court of Montferrat (today’s Piedmont).

The poetry of Provence was so renowned and estimated that all the princes of Italy tried to attract Occitan troubadours to their courts.

Raimbaut long served the marquis Boniface de Montferrat, with whom he went to war and who knighted him (in 1195). The poet fell in love with Beatrice, the daughter of the Marquis and dedicated several poems to her.

Raimbaut did however return to Provence on several occasions (4 of these songs are devoted to a Lady of Gap).

When Boniface de Montferrat led the 4th crusade, in 1201 (a crusade which lead to the conquest of Constantinople in 1204, but not the Holy Land!), Raimbaut accompanied his protector. Boniface took over the kingdom of Salonika and Raimbaut was attributed a lordship.

The poet probably killed in September 1207, in the Greek mountains, in the same ambush Boniface perished in.

 

Raimbaut de Vacqueyras, who shared his life between Provence and Italy, fought with Boniface in Sicily and in the Byzantine empire, and lived on to become a Greek lord was, according to every specialist, the most international of all Occitan troubadours.

He indeed wrote a bilingual " tenson " (in Provencal-Genoese) for a Lady in Genoa and a " descort " in 5 languages.

He is also one of the troubadours with the most fascinating personalities. His biographer, J. LINSKILL, says that his life is one of most brilliant and romantic lives in the history of literature. It is indeed no small deed for a humble poet to become the friend, the confidant and brother in arms of the most important man of his time, Boniface de Montferrat!

Above all, Raimbaut lives on as a great poet. Over thirty of his works have survived (amongst which the famous " calenda mia"), some of which with their musical scores.