In the northern part of Provence there are several villages that were once in papal possession – a rich and often controversial area.
The arrival of the Popes in Avignon at the beginning of the 14th century made these regions a political and economic area of interest. The Popes tried to extend their dominion to the north, where the territory of the Dauphiné was located. The boundary stones were considered a direct expression of the papal reign.
Twenty-two of these milestones are still visible in the municipality of Valréas today. They have the shape of a paving stone, are 30 cm deep, 40 cm wide and about 150 cm high. The carved stones are decorated with one or more coats of arms, representing on one side the identity of the land owners and on the other side the coat of arms of the Comtat Venaissin, two intertwined keys.
Author’s recommendation
In the northern part of Provence there are several villages that were once in papal possession – a rich and often controversial area.
The arrival of the Popes in Avignon at the beginning of the 14th century made these regions a political and economic area of interest. The Popes tried to extend their dominion to the north, where the territory of the Dauphiné was located. The boundary stones were considered a direct expression of the papal reign.
Twenty-two of these milestones are still visible in the municipality of Valréas today. They have the shape of a paving stone, are 30 cm deep, 40 cm wide and about 150 cm high. The carved stones are decorated with one or more coats of arms, representing on one side the identity of the land owners and on the other side the coat of arms of the Comtat Venaissin, two intertwined keys.
Track types
Show elevation profileSafety information
Before you go:
- Check the general and local weather forecast, making sure there is no precipitation.
- Get information on the approach route, height of the route, travel time, possible escape (IGN map, GPS, topo-guide, etc...).
- Evaluate possible risks by asking mountain professionals, mountain huts, gîtes, etc.
- Ask someone close to your objective and contact him/her again in case of changes: departure and return times, number of participants with the telephone number of each, vehicle(s), car park, etc.
- Avoid going alone, use equipment that is appropriate for the activity, adjusted and in good condition, headlamp, complete first aid kit, survival blanket, etc...
In the event of a problem:
Alert: call 112 (European emergency number)
5 key points to transmit your alert:
- Where? commune, location, route, altitude
- Who? Identity, phone number
- What? Type of accident, number of victims, severity, fall kinetics...
- When? Time of the accident
- Weather? wind, visibility
Tips and hints
APIDAE tourism data updated on 03/10/2022 by "Office de Tourisme Communautaire Pays de Grignan et Enclave des Papes".Spotted an error? Write to animation@grignanvalreas-tourisme.com with the following information:
File name: R03 Circuit des bornes papales | Record identifier: 43425 | URL (link) for this Outdooractive page.
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Getting there
-Parking
Parking is possibile near the starting point. Please obey to the traffic rules.Coordinates
Equipment
- Clothing adapted to the season and conditions (cold, hot, wet...)
- Hiking boots adapted to the terrain (even for children!)
- Hiking poles (useful for stability and to relieve the joints)
- Mobile phone and spare battery
Statistics
- 1 Waypoints
- 1 Waypoints
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