Venasque is a Provence village that carries a feeling of accumulated time. Roman foundations, Christian monuments, medieval fortification and agricultural life are all alive and flourishing here.
Venasque is a beautiful stone village that sits in a strategic position between Mont Ventoux and the Rhône Valley. The village of Venasque rises up from the rock, compact and enclosed, a village shaped by protection. The hill was first occupied in antiquity and over the centuries the site evolved into a fortified settlement. Beyond the ramparts of the village, rows of cherry orchards spread across the hillsides. The land is tender encircling this place.
One of the most interesting spots to visit in the village is the Baptistery of Venasque, which dates back to the 6th century, during the Merovingian Period. It was likely built on the site of an earlier Roman temple. Through an unassuming door, one ducks down to enter an entrancing space, stones releasing their cool energy. Roman columns make the space feel suspended between eras: part Roman, part early Christian. The baptistery’s octagonal font is its most striking feature. In early Christianity, full immersion baptisms were ceremonies preformed by a bishop only a few times a year. The space reflects the importance of the ritual.
Connected to the baptistry is the Romanesque church of Notre-Dame de Venasque. The church and baptistry together form visible layering of a very long Christian tradition here.
The village itself feels soft with narrow lanes and fountains spilling quietly.
