Château du Castellas shapes the view of Uchaux: its ruins stand on a rocky outcrop in the Massif d’Uchaux, overlooking the surrounding plain and the former route of the Via Agrippa. Alongside this distinctive landscape setting, the area offers several different interests for a stay: Romanesque architecture, walks in the forests, a cycling route and wine tastings. When planning your visit, it helps to treat these not as interchangeable activities, but to decide in advance whether culture, outdoor activity or wine is your main priority.
Château du Castellas and Chapelle Saint-Michel
On 10 February 1994, Château du Castellas was classified as a historic monument. Its oldest surviving parts have Romanesque architectural features dating from the 13th century; this date refers to those parts, not to the Château as a whole. The Chapelle Saint-Michel lies a little below. It is considered an example of rural Romanesque art and served as Uchaux’s parish church until 1840. Two aspects of the area’s history thus sit side by side: the Château’s architecture and heritage designation, and the chapel’s art and former religious function.
Forest Walks and Cycling Route
The Massif d’Uchaux covers about 7,500 hectares. The forests of Uchaux offer opportunities for walks, while the Uchaux botanical trail along the Jean-Henri-Fabre steps showcases the local diversity of plant life. Plants found along the trail include pines, heather, rockroses and strawberry trees. This offers two different ways to enjoy nature: walks in the forests or a botanical focus along the steps. The massif as a whole provides a broader landscape setting, while the trail draws attention to specific plant species.
For cyclists, the Tour du Massif d’Uchaux is a signposted, moderately difficult cycling route for hybrid bikes that follows roads shared with other users. Unlike the more general walking options, this activity is described in more specific terms: it has a stated difficulty level, a specified type of bike and information about the roads it follows. The fact that the roads are shared is an important consideration when choosing between cycling and walking.
Wine Tasting and Cellar Tour
Château Saint Estève offers visitors wine tastings with information about the wines and how they are made. During a visit, four different red wines from the Massif d’Uchaux are presented. An exclusive tour also offers the opportunity to explore the winery’s wine cellar and historic vaulted cellar. The tasting and cellar tour have different focuses: the tasting introduces the wines and their production, while the tour takes visitors to two parts of the winery. Check the availability of visitor options before you travel.
When looking for a hotel, your planned activities for the day can help guide your choice.
Discover more destinations: Oppède, Roaix, Saint-Marcellin-Lès-Vaison, Lagarde-D'apt, Oppède-Le-Vieux, Châteauneuf-De-Gadagne, Villes-Sur-Auzon, Rasteau.
For the regional travel overview: Vaucluse.
