OK, I will say it; Shirley enjoys hiking more than I do. Probably not a surprise to those who see us together. One day last spring, Shirley and friend Kari hiked up onto the Dentelles de Montmirail while I walked about our neighboring village of Gigondas and tasted wine at Domaine du Grapillon D'Or.
The Dentelles de Montmirail are short, steep mountains with a distinctive rocky ridge extending west geologically from Mont Ventoux which is located just to the east. When we go out onto the terrace off our bedroom in Sablet, we have a beautiful view of the Dentelles.
The name Dentelles, the French word for lace, refers to the jagged, rocky tops obtained by erosion, while Montmirail is derived from the Latin mons mirabilis meaning "admirable mountain" though the alternative connection with teeth, "dents" in French is equally good in my opinion.
The Dentelles de Montmirail mountain range is about 8 km (5 miles) long and runs from Vaison-la-Romaine on the north end to Beaumes-de-Venise on the south. The tallest peak of the Dentelles de Montmirail range is St-Amand, at 734 m (2,400 ft).
Time to get going, so we drove the short distance to Gigondas. While I wandered off to visit the village and taste wine, camera in hand, Shirley and Kari set off for the top of the Dentelles de Montmirail. The pictures which follow were taken by Shirley on their hike that day.
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| Dentelles de Montmirail. The little hole was their destination. |
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| Signs point the direction for the top of the Dentelles de Montmirail |
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| Scenic views on the hike |
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| Dentelles de Montmirail |
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| Dentelles de Montmirail |
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| Dentelles de Montmirail |
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| Dentelles de Montmirail |
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| Kari makes it to the portal that looks out over the Dentelles de Montmirail |
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| View over the vineyards from the portal |
The ladies returned with a great sense of satisfaction and superiority that they had made it to the top. I didn't mind as I had a good time wandering around the village and dégustation at Domaine du Grapillon D'Or. I will show you what I saw on my visit and tell you about tasting wine at Domaine du Grapillon D'Or in a future post.
Have a good evening. Chat soon.
Beautiful pictures, Shirley!
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