Mazan

At the foot of the southern part of the Mont Ventoux lies the village of Mazan. This medieval village in the Vaucluse department, situated between Avignon (25 kilometers) and Carpentras (six kilometers), has a very old centre: some houses are built in the 1^st until the 5^th century. Regarding the many archeological finds proves that Mazan once was an important town, also in a religious way. 66 Gallo roman sarcophagi have been discovered from the 5^th and 6^th centuries which are situated in the fields around the cemetery.

The Auzon river flows right through the old heart of the village and reveals the great history of Mazan with the gates of its ramparts dating from the 12^th and 14^th century, evidence of its medieval past, as well as the church of Pareloup dating from the 12^th and 15^th centuries. The church houses a sculpture of Jacques Bernus, a national renowned artist and a native of Mazan. The history and folklore museum (chapel of the White Penitents, 17^th century) houses a collection of big geological and archeological value. It also presents a collection of traditional country life from times past like typical provencal costumes and is certainly worth visiting.

A great part of the village is dedicated to agriculture but the landscape is mainly determined by numerous vineyards in the region. Mazan is known for good wines and ‘crus’ of the famous Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Mont Ventoux. A few years ago an amphora – a pot to keep liquids like wine – has been found dating from 40 A.C., that proves the wine of Mazan is the oldest which has been exploited in that period. You can taste the wines of Côtes du Rhône en Côtes du Mont Ventoux in the ‘Cave coöperative’, the cooperative wine cave of Mazan and the nine private caves.

Mazan and surroundings are a pleasure for the eye: it shows a landscape of slanted hills covered with apple green vineyards combined with olive groves and often a clear blue sky dominated by the Mont Ventoux. You can taste the olives coming from these olive groves yourself at the market of Mazan. The local producers sell their olives and olive oil at the ‘marché du producteur’, the producers market, held every Thursday evening from the 6^th of may and 16^th of September at ‘Place du 11 novembre’. Other local products you can find at the market are seasons fruit and vegetables, honey, goat cheese and other delicacies.

On the 18^th of July ‘Fête du Carri’, the Carri festival, takes place, a real event in Mazan. In 1725 the farmers revolted against the high taxes. Instead of punishing the farmers with their anger, the lord permitted a carnival once a year. Four centuries later the inhabitants of Mazan still put on their Louis XV costumes to celebrate the historic reconstruction. With a procession of 240 participants, 25 horses that drawn the lord’s ‘Lou Carri’ - which means chariot or float in provençal language - , 52 riders with horses, a big banquet in the forest of Rouret, the open church service with songs in provençal and last but not least the ‘baletti’, an open ball with folklore music, this is a traditional event the inhabitants are preparing for two years in advance. So if you are in Mazan around the 18^th of July and want to witness this traditional event you might get disappointed: the Carri festival is only organized every generation which means every ten or twenty years, The latest edition took place in 2010. So you will have to be a bit patient….

A famous native inhabitant of Mazan was Donatien Aldonse François of Sade, better know as the Marquis of Sade (1740-1814). He rather spent his time in his Lacoste castle but by the end of the 18^th century he organized the first theater festival of the Provence in the beautiful castle of Mazan (18^th century) with a group from Marseille. The castle now houses an exclusive four star hotel-restaurant.