The papal enclave includes the towns of Valreas, Visan, Grillon Richerenches, Photos, video,virtual-tours360°

L'enclave des Papes

The enclave of the Popes is a geographical area, named Canton of Valréas, landlocked in the Drôme, access is via the main roads leading to Nyons, Montélimar and Orange. The Enclave has an airfield. 
The Enclave Popes enjoys Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and dry, interspersed with sometimes violent stormy episodes. Winters are dry and sunny. (About 2500 hours a year). The Mistral can blow it, so aggravating the cold sensation felt.

History

In the Middle Ages, the Popes wanted to expand their state, the Venaissin County to the north. August 30, 1317, Pope John XXII bought to Jean II and Guy, his brother, the Dauphin Viennese Valréas , the city, its castle and its territory, for the sum of 16,000 livres, the same year the Templar Commandery of Richerenches , attributed to the Hospitallers, was given by them to Pope Visan was acquired in 1344 In 1383, Pope Clement VII exchanged Grillon Montelimar against his possessions. 
The 12 August 1793 was created the department of Vaucluse , consisting of the districts of Avignon and Carpentras , from those of Apt and Orange , in 1800 Suze-la-Rousse being attached to the Drôme, this had resulted in the isolation of Vaucluse Valreas Township. In 1897 the railway line reached Pierrelatte Nyons Valréas who took the opportunity to develop its industry and becomes the world capital of cardboard. The territories of the Papal Enclave, Township Valréas, are composed of the following municipalities: Grillon: 14.92 km2 Richerenches: 10.96 km2 Valréas: 57.97 km2 Visan: 41.07 km2. These villages are part, since January 2014, the Papal Enclave inter-Grignan Country Community common Papal Enclave-Pays de Grignan. 
Valréas was the first French center of the cardboard industry since the Industrial Age to 19 centuries, see the museum du Cartonnage Valréas

Tourism

For its tourist accommodation, common feature of the enclave of hotels, cottages, guest houses and campsites. Tourism proposals are many: festivities, local history and monuments, road papal Bornes, wine,

Agriculture

Viticulture is the first agricultural activity of the enclave. From winemaking tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, the enclave is located within several designations of origin (AOC): Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages 
Other important agricultural activity, culture and the distillery of lavender representing no less than 500 hectares of crops across the enclave of the Popes. 
The area is also known and renowned for its basement suitable black diamond: the truffle. The truffle markets take place regularly, particularly in Richerenches which takes up the largest truffle market in Europe.