Roquemaure, Gard
Encyclopedia
Roquemaure is a commune
in the department of Gard
in southern France
. The small town is a centre of local wine production, especially of Lirac AOC
, and is located on the right bank of the Rhone
. The city Avignon
is nearby.
. During the medieval
era, Roquemaure, which is located on the Rhône River
, was an important wine
-shipping port.
In 1868 the relics of St. Valentine arrived after being purchased from Rome by Maximilian Richard, a local dignitary as it was believed that the relics would protect the vines from phylloxera
which ravaged the vineyards in 1866. The relics are kept in the 14th century collegiate church
.
, by stamping 'CDR' on the barrels. The accompanying rules became the basis of the regulations for today's AOC
- appellation d'origine contrôlée.
was first introduced to France. In 1862 wine merchant Mr. Borty received a case containing rooted American vines from a New York vine-grower, Mr. Carle. This case contained native American grapevines, including 'Clinton', 'Post-Oak', and 'Emily'. Mr. Borty, planted these American vines in ten rows within his walled garden at 21 rue Longue (Renamed rue Placide Cappeau). The following summer in a vineyard at the nearby village of Pujaut
, a number of vines began to die. By 1864 Botry's own Grenache
and Alicante
vines were showing symptoms of phylloxera infection. All the vines in the neighbouring village of Pujaut were either dead or dying by 1865 and the initial infection had spread to the towns of Orange
and St-Rémy. By the end of 1868 the whole of the lower Rhône Valley was infected and by 1894 phylloxera had spread across most of France.
("Festival of the Kiss"), a kissing festival which began in 1989 and attracts over 20,000 people. The town is known as "La Capitale des Amoureux", or "The Capital of Lovers". The town operates a winery named after Saint Valentine
(Cave Saint Valentine), as well as a specialty post office
that seals envelopes with a kiss.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the department of Gard
Gard
Gard is a département located in southern France in the Languedoc-Roussillon region.The department is named after the River Gard, although the formerly Occitan name of the River Gard, Gardon, has been replacing the traditional French name in recent decades, even among French speakers.- History...
in southern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The small town is a centre of local wine production, especially of Lirac AOC
Lirac AOC
Lirac is a wine-growing Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée in the department of Gard situated in the low hills along the right bank of the Rhône river in the southern Rhône wine region of France. It is named after the town of Lirac. Bordering on the neighbouring cru of Tavel AOC, a rosé-only cru in...
, and is located on the right bank of the Rhone
Rhône
Rhone can refer to:* Rhone, one of the major rivers of Europe, running through Switzerland and France* Rhône Glacier, the source of the Rhone River and one of the primary contributors to Lake Geneva in the far eastern end of the canton of Valais in Switzerland...
. The city Avignon
Avignon
Avignon is a French commune in southeastern France in the départment of the Vaucluse bordered by the left bank of the Rhône river. Of the 94,787 inhabitants of the city on 1 January 2010, 12 000 live in the ancient town centre surrounded by its medieval ramparts.Often referred to as the...
is nearby.
History
Roquemaure was one of Hannibal's stops on his historic journey to RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. During the medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
era, Roquemaure, which is located on the Rhône River
Rhône River
The Rhone is one of the major rivers of Europe, rising in Switzerland and running from there through southeastern France. At Arles, near its mouth on the Mediterranean Sea, the river divides into two branches, known as the Great Rhone and the Little Rhone...
, was an important wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
-shipping port.
In 1868 the relics of St. Valentine arrived after being purchased from Rome by Maximilian Richard, a local dignitary as it was believed that the relics would protect the vines from phylloxera
Phylloxera
Grape phylloxera ; originally described in France as Phylloxera vastatrix; equated to the previously described Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, Phylloxera vitifoliae; commonly just called phylloxera is a pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America...
which ravaged the vineyards in 1866. The relics are kept in the 14th century collegiate church
Collegiate church
In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons; a non-monastic, or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, which may be presided over by a dean or provost...
.
Population
Wine
Roquemaure introduced commercial protection of its wine, the famous Côtes du Rhône AOCCôtes du Rhône AOC
Côtes du Rhône is a wine-growing Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée for the Rhône wine region of France, which may be used throughout the region, also in those areas which are covered by other AOCs...
, by stamping 'CDR' on the barrels. The accompanying rules became the basis of the regulations for today's AOC
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
- appellation d'origine contrôlée.
Phylloxera
Roquemaure is believed to be the site where phylloxeraPhylloxera
Grape phylloxera ; originally described in France as Phylloxera vastatrix; equated to the previously described Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, Phylloxera vitifoliae; commonly just called phylloxera is a pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America...
was first introduced to France. In 1862 wine merchant Mr. Borty received a case containing rooted American vines from a New York vine-grower, Mr. Carle. This case contained native American grapevines, including 'Clinton', 'Post-Oak', and 'Emily'. Mr. Borty, planted these American vines in ten rows within his walled garden at 21 rue Longue (Renamed rue Placide Cappeau). The following summer in a vineyard at the nearby village of Pujaut
Pujaut
Pujaut is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.-Population:-References:*...
, a number of vines began to die. By 1864 Botry's own Grenache
Grenache
Grenache is one of the most widely planted red wine grape varieties in the world. It ripens late, so it needs hot, dry conditions such as those found in Spain, the south of France, and California's San Joaquin Valley. It is generally spicy, berry-flavored and soft on the palate with a relatively...
and Alicante
Alicante
Alicante or Alacant is a city in Spain, the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca of Alacantí, in the south of the Valencian Community. It is also a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante proper was 334,418, estimated , ranking as the second-largest...
vines were showing symptoms of phylloxera infection. All the vines in the neighbouring village of Pujaut were either dead or dying by 1865 and the initial infection had spread to the towns of Orange
Orange, Vaucluse
Orange is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It has a primarily agricultural economy...
and St-Rémy. By the end of 1868 the whole of the lower Rhône Valley was infected and by 1894 phylloxera had spread across most of France.
Events
Roquemaure hosts the annual St Valentine La Fête du BaiserLa Fête du Baiser
La Fête du Baiser is a festival, celebrated the Saturday after St. Valentine's Day, in Roquemaure, France near Avignon. Begun in 1989, it commemorates not only Saint Valentine, whom locals claim as a former resident, but the arrival of his mortal remains in 1868 to Roquemaure's collegiate church...
("Festival of the Kiss"), a kissing festival which began in 1989 and attracts over 20,000 people. The town is known as "La Capitale des Amoureux", or "The Capital of Lovers". The town operates a winery named after Saint Valentine
Saint Valentine
Saint Valentine is the name of several martyred saints of ancient Rome. The name "Valentine", derived from valens , was popular in Late Antiquity...
(Cave Saint Valentine), as well as a specialty post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
that seals envelopes with a kiss.