Explore Grillon through its historic architecture and a self-guided walking tour. Le Vialle, the original quarter, sits atop a saffron hill. Its fortifications, tower and church offer different perspectives on the town’s history, while the village walking tour provides its own focus on exploring the area. This lets you choose between an architectural look at individual buildings and finding your way around using information panels.
Le Vialle on the saffron hill
Le Vialle is Grillon’s historic centre. Between 1342 and 1372, it was crowned with high defensive walls. The medieval quarter includes Maison Milon, perched on a rocky acropolis about 15 metres above the present-day village. Its location establishes a clear topographical relationship with the village below; together with the defensive walls, it offers an accessible introduction to Grillon’s medieval history.
Architectural details of the fortifications
Maison de Chapuis de Tourville also preserves an architectural detail: a section of the wall walk survives at attic level. A wall walk is a walkway along a defensive wall and is part of the fortification’s design. At Maison de Chapuis, this makes it possible to identify an individual element of defensive architecture alongside the quarter’s high walls. To explore the site’s architectural history, the fortifications as a whole and a surviving detail on a historic house complement one another.
From watchtower to belfry
Le Beffroi adds a story of changing function to this picture. At the northern entrance to the fortifications, it originally served as a watchtower; its conversion into a belfry was completed in 1778. Two stages in its architectural history can therefore be distinguished: its original role at the fortified entrance and its later form as a belfry. Le Beffroi is listed in the supplementary register of Historic Monuments. It is also considered the only part of the Vialle to have survived decay in its original, intact form, remaining almost unscathed. Its history thus connects the earlier fortifications with the building’s later transformation.
Sainte-Agathe: church and art
The present-day Sainte-Agathe Church is a 19th-century Neo-Gothic building. Construction began in 1869, and it was blessed in 1870. The church also houses a wrought-iron cross donated by Cardinal-Duc Salviati in 1783. It was recovered from the ruins of the Vialle in 1983, near its original location at Porte Neuve. These dates help distinguish the church’s construction history from the cross’s earlier history: the cross dates from the 18th century, while the present-day church was built in the 19th century. Three old paintings are also housed in Sainte-Agathe and are listed in the regional inventory. The church, cross and paintings offer different ways to explore sacred architecture and art.
Explore local history on foot
For an independent visit, take the walking tour “À la découverte de Grillon” (“Discover Grillon”). It starts at Place de la Bourgade and follows nine information panels through the village. You can take the tour independently, without a guide. The route provides a defined setting with several stops, while the histories of Vialle, the Beffroi and Sainte-Agathe each offer a distinct historical focus. The walking tour and the individual buildings therefore suit different interests: the tour leads through the village via its panels, while the buildings can be understood through their history of fortifications, towers or art.
Fishing at Plan d'eau du Lez
Fishing is another option: anglers fish at Plan d'eau du Lez in the Grillon area. Conditions and access rules may change. Check them in advance if you are planning a fishing trip.
Discover more destinations: Saumane-De-Vaucluse, Robion, Oppède, Crestet, Villedieu, Visan, Morières-Lès-Avignon, Puyvert.
For the full travel guide: Vaucluse.
