In the Rhône valley, between Lyon and Marseille, in the heart of the “haut Vaucluse”, one finds Cairanne, situated 40 km from Avignon and 15 km from Orange .
« From Mont Ventoux to the Rhône its Cairanne who wears the crown »
From the heights of the old village, dominated by its keep and castle ramparts, the view is dominated by the range of enormous limestone outcrops, “The lacework of Montmirail - Les Dentelles de Montmirail” and the « Géant de Provence » : Mont Ventoux. From dawn until dusk, these and the hills of Orange, all emerge from the plain of the Rhône.
The vines have now been planted and cover the hillsides and all the former time honoured zones of the neighbourhood's dry, sparse “coteaux”, where wines grow best.
The vineyard of Cairanne is surrounded on all sides by mountainous outcrops and the foothills of mountains :
o To the west, the foot hills of the Massif Central , the mountains of Ardèche gorge and Cévennes hills.
o To the south, the blue line of the Alpilles.
o To the east, Mont Ventoux, with the Dentelles de Montmirail at its foot.
Millions of years ago, the sea withdrew to leave a vast central plain, crossed from the north to south by the great river Rhône. Cairanne stands perched on its outcrop of rock, turning to face to this magnificent countryside.
The locality around Cairanne :
o To the east, 17 km away Vaison la Romaine o To the north, 17 km away Bollène
On the sun's highway, the geography of Cairanne
In the Rhône valley, between Lyon and Marseille, in the heart of the “haut Vaucluse”, one finds Cairanne, situated 40 km from Avignon and 15 km from Orange .