Visit old Papal lands where all roads lead to Drôme

The Enclave des Papes in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region is made up of four towns; Valréas, Richerenches, Grillon and Visan and has been cut off from the administrative lands it belongs to since the 14th Century. 

First the area was bought by the Popes when they were at Avignon and was surrounded by land belonging to the Kings of France, and – after the Revolution – it became part of the Vaucluse department but is surrounded by the Drôme department. 

Its unusual history began after a conflict between the Papacy and the French crown which led to the election of a French Pope, Clement V, who decided to establish his Papal court in France, first in Poitiers, and then, in 1309, in Avignon. 

Seven Popes ruled there until Pope Gregory XI moved back to Rome, but the area remained Papal territory until the French Revolution. As time went on the Popes wished to enlarge their French territory. 

Valréas, around 65km to the north of Avignon, and in prime wine-growing country was very attractive to them. In 1320 he acquired Richerenches, which had the most important Knights Templar community in Provence, Visan in 1344, and Grillon in 1451. 

The Popes discovered there was still a small strip of land belonging to France which separated their newly acquired territories from the rest of their papal properties, making this area an enclave. 

Enclave advantages

Successive pontiffs tried to buy the land but never managed it, ensuring the area remained an administrative island. There were advantages, however, for the inhabitants. 

Papal taxes were lower than the king’s so they were able to sell goods to the neighbouring citizens on the black market with good returns. 

“They could sell one year’s worth of tobacco for twice the price of the equivalent in wheat,” said Ms Massard. 

“It made the area rich. 

“After the Revolution the new rulers started dividing the country into departments, and Avignon opted to have its own department which was called Vaucluse. 

“The towns and villages which had up to then been ruled by the Pope were allowed to vote to decide whether they wanted to become part of the Drôme or the Vaucluse, and Valréas, Richerenches, Grillon and Visan decided to stay in the Vaucluse – which means to this day the area continues to be an enclave.” 

Lingering traces of history 

There are not many remnants of the Popes' stay now, though there are many historic buildings. 

Local tourist guide, Sophie Massard, previously told The Connexion that the second pope at Avignon, Jean XXII had been bishop at Cahors and appreciated French wine: “On one occasion the story goes that he was ill and was given Valréas wine which made him feel much better.

“He thought the wine was miraculous and so he set about purchasing the town.” 

In 1317 he bought it from a local lord, the Dauphin du Viennois. 

At Richerenches, the tourist information centre is in a restored 12th-Century Templar’s house; at Valréas there is the 17th and 18th-Century Château de Simiane which is now the Mairie and a tower, which is all that remains of the 12th Century Château Ripert.