Séguret

Séguret is a southern French town in the Vaucluse department ( Provence- Alpes -Cote d' Azur). It is located 9.5 km southwest of Vaison -la- Romaine, about 20 km northeast of Orange and has 847 inhabitants (as of 1 January 2011) on an area of ​​2,104 hectares. The site was added to the list of the most beautiful villages in France.

Location

Séguret is located at 250 meters above sea level, among the dentelles de Montmirail, a mountain range between the Rhône and the Mont Ventoux. The place is surrounded by vineyards and olive groves at the foot of a rugged, occupied by a ruined castle hill. The village square offers a panoramic view of the dentelles de Montmirail, the level of Vaison -la -Romaine and in the distance lies the Massif Central (central mountain range).

Attractions

Secular buildings

• Ruined castle (13th century)
• Remains of the old two-goal loss and gates broken ramparts ( 14th century), which has been led up from the village to the castle ruins. Worth seeing are the Porte de la Bise and the Portail Neuf (14th century ), whose leaf has iron fittings.
• Bell tower (14th century)
• Occupied with stone masks of the landmarked fountain Fontaine Mascarons (15th century)
• The old washing house above the torrent of Prébayon Gorge
• Medieval -sounding road network with narrow, cobbled streets that wind their way up the hill
• Old houses of the Rue des Poternes
• The Place des Arceaux (18th century) and his old plane

Religious buildings

• Church of Saint -Denis ( 10th century ) with its Romanesque nave
• Büßerkapelle Sainte- Thècle (18th century)
• Votive chapel Notre- Dame-des- Graces ( 1636) in the classical French style
• Ruins of the chapel and the priory of Saint- Just ( 1793)
• Ruins of the Chapel of Notre -Dame- d'Aubusson

Museums

• The Museum of Santon in the chapel of St. Thècle exhibits the typical Provencal clay nativity figures, established in Séguret even from here, trained Santoniers be created. Special exhibitions in December and January nativity scenes, in August scenes of Provençal life.

Events

Séguret is particularly known for its Provencal Christmas, which relies on the traditional French customs and the tradition of the medieval mystery plays.

An important part of the Provençal Christmas is already designed in the Advent Christmas crib. On the 4th Advent makes the village with the Journée des Traditions ( the "Day of Traditions" ) attention and old customs. This includes the heating up of the community back home as well as tasting the local specialties, the breading, a kind of bread dough made ​​apple bag and the locally grown wine.

Every year on Christmas Eve is ignited at sunset from the village elders in the presence of the young " shepherd" the Uche de Noël, the carefully selected well in advance for this purpose, precipitated and trimmed trunk of a fruit tree in the great fireplace of the community hall. Tradition has it that he should burn continuously for three days and the fire shall not be quenched.

One of the highlights of the Christmas season is the scenic representation of the Holy Night of Bethlehem in the Staint -Denis Church. Paradise or Christmas games, first detected in France in the 11th century, were later distributed widely. Here it is played by the local Ségurétains and includes three images: the Annunciation, provides to transmit the Good News to the Shepherds and the Adoration of the Christ Child in the stable of Bethlehem.

For the three days ending patronal festival in August, the village community with more than one hundred costumed residents organized a solemn procession that precedes the traditional bravado, a cheerful, loud firecrackers, whistles and drums with painted parade.