" The village of Entrechaux is very pleasant. It enjoys a salubrious climate and a beautiful Mediterranean flora. One can enjoy here a certain potential of calm. From there it is possible to tour around for many and varied excursions in the country and in High-Provence ". (E Comte). Moreover, tour can be undertaken on foot, riding a bicycle, or a horse! Hereafter note some proposals easy to carry out at sight or with the information coming from the IGN maps (collection TOP 25) scale: 1/25000°, reference 3140ET and 3040ET. Weather forecast telephone: 08 92 68 02 84. All Vaucluse in: www.provenceguide.com and Vaison la Romaine on: www.vaison-en-provence.com,
Avenue Chanoine Sautel, 84110- Vaison la Romaine tel 04 90 36 02 11, fax 04 90 28 76 04.
On foot, in the village or in the vicinity 1. in the village, by the church (19 th century): the Mary Glasgow library previously presbytery, with a dovecot. The library proposes 16000 books (!), including an upper floor with comic strips and cartoon for children, and temporary exposures of either paintings, drawings, photos, or archives. It is open Wednesday and Friday at 9:00-12:00 and 13:30-17:00. In the garden, a charming fountain with, on the left, two anthropomorphic stelas used by the Celts, one say for ...... human sacrifices!
2. Again in the village, go up to the castle. There you catch a panoramic view on the village, surroundings, and on the castles of Crestet and Beaumont-of-Ventoux. The three buildings used to set up an efficient network of observatories. The castle is a private property. It can be visited in summer season. Its restoration is underway andcombined with training courses of stone hewing. It is described by Patrick Ollivier-Elliot (see bibliography) as " mound crowned with towers, sections of fortification, arcades and a deal of mysteries ". It is composed of the " Small Castle " which belonged to the bishops of Vaison, and within the same fortifications, with same the gate, of the " Large Castle " built later, lower on the mound.
3. Circuit of the roman chapels. Take direction to Mollans and turn on the right to La Braysse, and the chapelle ND de Nazareth (10 thcentury). At sight, lower, chapel St Andre dated as 10 thcentury, with a merovingian semicircular apse with arcades and handsome capitals. Then, cross the valley, go up on the hill of Talès, pass by ND de la Salette (black statue and view point) and to go down by the Hameau du Plan towards the 11 thcentury St Laurent chapel, also with a semicircular apse. Then return by the road of Vaison-la-Romaine.
4. Starting from the East roundabout (Mollans direction), take on the left direction Faucon. After about 15 minutes walk, you reach the very elegant roman bridge (called here "romain" or "roman ").
The Ouvèze river: a familiar place of bathe, highly appreciated by children.
5. Starting from the bridge, you can either :
- walk up on the Ouvèze right bank and discover "bories" as well as shelters and caves.
The most famous is "the Mask" cave (private property), or
- go direction Pie, the "Terme Trauca" and then continue through the forest towards Faucon.
The way back can be either by the hameau des "Habitants", or the one of "Baumettes", or
- walk up on the Ouvèze left bank direction of the Trois Rivières camping and return to the village through teh "Pas du Voltigeur".
The Ouvèze Gorges, in the crossing of the district are, one says, "imposing and of rare and picturesque beauty".
If you are good walker, and for longer rambles
6. La Chambette. Take Mollans direction, and hamlet Braysse Sud on your right hand. Ignore ND de Nazareth on your right. Go up in peak to the hamlet de La Chambette. The place is mentionned in archives since XIII°s. From there, either descent towards Toulourenc and ND of the Angels (commune of Mollans), or return by Astaud and, possibly prolongation by the GR. 91 towards the pass Col du Comte and the Mont Ventoux.
7. The Toulourenc Gorges : on the basis of ND des Anges, coming from Chambette (but one also get there by car) walk up the bed of the river with (essential) worn out or plastic shoes till the Pont de Veau. Some cañons are more than 1,5 m of water. Possible extension in upper Gorges, till the hamlet of St Leger of Ventoux. Superb !
On bike Some suggestions for short treks in the immediate vicinity on rather undulating roads :
- Pas du Ventoux, Veau, Malaucène (30km)
- St Marcellin par la rive droite de l’Ouvèze, Puyméras, Propiac, Mollans (36 km)
- Buis les Baronnies, Propiac, Mérindol, Faucon (40 km)
- Malaucène, Le Barroux, Lafare, Suzette (41 km)
On horse Pony treking and horse riding are run by the Camping des Trois Rivières (tél. : 04.90.46.01.72) and the Prarial du Moulin
