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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Châteauneuf-du-Pape, located in the Vaucluse, overlooks the village and its vineyards for nearly 800 years. His history is intimately linked to the papacy of Avignon, having served as a residence and fortress for the popes, notably John XXII, who built there a new castle between 1317 and 1333. This monument, both a symbol of power and protection, has also played a key role in the wine development of the region, with a pontifical vineyard covering up to 10 hectares.

Originally, a Roman castrum, mentioned in 913 under the name of castellam of Leri, was infused with Peter of Albaron in the 11th century. This old castle, enlarged and renovated in the 12th and 13th centuries, became a strategic monitoring post of the Rhône. The legend of a Templar presence, evoked by some historiographers, was invalidated by modern research. The Castro Novo (new fortified village), first cited in 1094, was replaced in 1146 by a construction of the Count of Toulouse, identified in 1283 as the "old tower".

The papal period marked a turning point: Châteauneuf, directly dependent on the bishop of Avignon, enjoyed a special status in the Comtat Venaissin. John XXII, former bishop of Avignon elected pope in 1316, undertook important works there, restaurant the old castle (3,000 guilders) before building a new castle between 1317 and 1333. The latter, designed for defence, was completed by ramparts in 1318. John XXII's successors, like Clement VII (1385–1387), stayed there episodicly, especially during plague outbreaks, and contributed to the maintenance of the vineyard.

After the popes returned to Rome, the castle was abandoned and fell into ruin, despite partial restorations in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. During the Wars of Religion, it became a strategic issue: taken and burned by the Huguenots in 1562–63, then restored in 1578. In the 18th century it was rented to nobles, such as the Baron de Powers, before being sold as a national good in 1798. The inhabitants then dismantled part of the walls to reuse the stones.

The castle, classified as a historic monument in 1892, suffered further damage during the Second World War: occupied by the Germans, its dungeon was partially destroyed in 1944 when they retired. Today, its ruins, including a 14th century papal cellar, are home to events related to the vineyard, such as the ceremonies of the Popes' Echansonry. Its architecture, marked by Rhodanian Gothic style, reflects the influence of Languedoc artisans and the synthesis between Gothic art and Romanesque traditions.

The pontifical vineyard, developed by John XXII with winemakers of Cahors, covered up to 10 hectares in the pens of the popes, a walled estate of 9.2 hectares still cultivated today. This terroir, renowned for its red and muscat wines, was celebrated by the popes as far as Rome. The wine heritage continues, with wines like the Clos des Papes, ranked among the best wines in the world in the 21st century.

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