Roquefort-La-Bédoule offers historic buildings spanning several centuries, winegrowing, the Fontblanche protected area and the geological Bédoulien stage. The Chapelle Saint-André-de-Julhans dates from the 12th century; the Bédoulien takes you much further back into Earth’s history. When choosing your destination, you can decide whether you are particularly interested in cultural history, landscapes or wine.

Winegrowing and protected landscapes

Château Barbanau has 27 hectares of vineyards with the Côtes de Provence and Cassis AOC designations. Wine tastings and wine sales are offered in the cellar. If you would like to include a wine tasting in your stay, confirm its availability before visiting. The 27 hectares indicate the size of the vineyard, while the two AOC designations name the appellations.

Fontblanche is a protected natural area of more than 850 hectares, extending across Ceyreste and Roquefort-La-Bédoule. Compared with Château Barbanau’s 27 hectares of vineyards, Fontblanche is on a different scale: it is a protected area spanning two municipalities. The vineyards and landscape protection thus represent different aspects of the area.

Buildings and traces of history

The Chapelle Saint-André-de-Julhans is a Romanesque monument in the Fontblanche forest. It was built in the 12th century and listed as a historic monument on 18 June 1987; it can only be reached on foot. The construction period and the date of its listing mark two different points in the chapel’s history.

The ruins of the old castle stand on the site of a Celto-Ligurian oppidum, or fortified settlement. The castle itself was built in the 11th century and destroyed by order of Richelieu. The ruins therefore reveal two distinct historical layers: the earlier settlement and the later castle.

Château de Julhans dates from the 17th century. Joseph Bonaparte and Julie Clary were married there, so the historic building is associated with a specific historical event as well as its construction history. The Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste in the hamlet of Roquefort dates from 1734 and was built using reused materials from the old village. Its construction history thus includes both the date it was built and the reuse of older materials.

Geology on a vast timescale

The geological Bédoulien stage formed during the Mesozoic Era, between 121 and 117 million years ago. It contains marine fossils, particularly ammonites. This takes the story from the construction periods of the chapel, castle and church far back into Earth’s history. The historic buildings and the fossils represent very different timescales.

Discover more destinations: Boulbon, Eyragues, Meyrargues, Saint-Chamas, Saint-Paul-Lès-Durance, Paluds De Noves, Auriol, Rognes

View the regional travel overview: Bouches Du Rhone.