Château de l'Hers

Château de l'Hers refers primarily to a historic fortified site on the banks of the Rhône near Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Vaucluse department of France, and secondarily to the winery that uses the château's name. The site occupied a strategically important position controlling river traffic and appears in documentary history by the early tenth century, when it was recorded as castellum de Leri. Its location had probably been used earlier: archaeological evidence in and around the site includes remains associated with late Antiquity, Iron Age and Roman-era occupation, as well as a small sixth- or seventh-century necropolis near a chapel dedicated to Saints Cosmas and Damian. A toll station on the Rhône is traditionally associated with the location, and one historical account places its establishment in the Roman period. In the eleventh century, the fief was granted by Rostaing, bishop of Avignon, to Pierre d'Albaron, who built a keep there. The settlement and fortress later became connected with the development of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The name Château de l'Hers emerged after the site was expanded in the twelfth century. It was renovated in the thirteenth century, and in 1316 Pope John XXII, formerly bishop of Avignon, commissioned work on the old fortress and allocated funds for its restoration. Although later tradition linked the site to the Knights Templar, twentieth-century historical research rejected that attribution. For much of the medieval and early modern period, the château served both as a watch post and as a toll station on the Rhône. Ownership and toll rights passed through a succession of noble families, including the Albaron, de Roquefeuil, Albaron de Laudin des Baux, Allemand de Laudun Albaron, Arpajon Cardaillac, Monteynard, Montmorency, Lévis-Ventadour and Rohan families. The toll system ended during the French Revolution when aristocratic privileges were abolished. The former enclave of L'Hers was subsequently incorporated into the newly established department of Vaucluse. The surviving château is privately owned. Only portions of the medieval keep, a fourteenth-century round tower and remnants of the surrounding walls remain. The site was registered as a French monument historique in 1973, reflecting its archaeological, architectural and historical importance. The name is also used by a winery producing Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines. The winery is associated with approximately 14 hectares and produces red and white wines under the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. Its red blend is based on Syrah, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Counoise, Cinsault, Grenache, Vaccarèse and Terret, while its white blend uses Picardan, Roussanne, Clairette, Picpoul and white Grenache. The estate is described as one of the relatively few producers permitted to present the complete set of thirteen authorized Châteauneuf-du-Pape grape varieties in its wines. The winery retains the château's name as a heritage and geographic identity, but the historic fortress itself lies outside the formal Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation terroir and is not incorporated into the winery's business name.

The Château de l'Hers site occupies a natural and strategic position beside the Rhône. Archaeological discoveries indicate activity from at least late Antiquity, with reused Roman-era building materials, ancient and Iron Age pottery, weapons, coins and medals found in the vicinity. A small necropolis dating broadly to the sixth or seventh century lies near the remains of an early chapel dedicated to Saints Cosmas and Damian. The location later functioned as a river-control point and toll station; one nineteenth-century account attributed the tollgate to the Roman emperor Vespasian in 79 AD, although the surviving historical record is more secure from the medieval period onward. The first known documentary reference is a 913 charter naming the place castellum de Leri. Louis the Blind ceded it to Foulques, bishop of Avignon. In 1077, Foulques's successor Rostaing granted the fief to Pierre d'Albaron, who constructed a keep. The fortified settlement became associated with the wider history of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, although the earliest documented use of the name Castro Novo dates from 1094. Expansion in the twelfth century gave rise to the designation Château de l'Hers, followed by a thirteenth-century renovation. The fortress and its village experienced periods of decline and ruin, but the site retained religious importance through both a parish church dedicated to Sainte-Marie and the château chapel. In 1316, Jacques d'Euze, a former bishop of Avignon, became Pope John XXII. Soon after his election he ordered building work at L'Hers. Accounts of the Apostolic Camera record an allocation of 3,000 florins for restoration of the older twelfth-century castle. During the Middle Ages, the fortress served as a lookout and as a toll point on the Rhône. Its fief and toll rights moved among noble families connected with the Albarons. The Albaron family retained the fief until 1360, when it passed by marriage to the de Roquefeuil family. Around 1400 it returned to the Albaron de Laudin des Baux line, and a later heiress transferred it by marriage to the Allemand family, which adopted the compound name Allemand de Laudun Albaron. During the sixteenth century, toll rights passed through several aristocratic houses, including the Arpajon Cardaillac, Monteynard and Montmorency families, before reaching the Duke of Lévis-Ventadour. Hercule de Rohan, prince of Soubise, later inherited the property, and the Rohan family still held it when the French Revolution began. Revolutionary abolition of feudal privileges ended the Rhône tolls and removed the enclave's separate status. L'Hers was incorporated into the new department of Vaucluse. Modern historical interpretation has rejected an earlier claim that the Knights Templar occupied the château. The surviving structure is limited to the lower chamber of the medieval keep, a fourteenth-century round tower and fragments of the defensive walls. The property is privately held and was registered as a monument historique in 1973. The site also supplied its name to a winery associated with the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. The winery produces red and white wines from approximately 14 hectares. Its red wine draws on Syrah, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Counoise, Cinsault, Grenache, Vaccarèse and Terret. Its white wine combines Picardan, Roussanne, Clairette, Picpoul and white Grenache. The winery is notable for presenting the full range of thirteen authorized Châteauneuf-du-Pape varieties, but the historic château itself stands outside the appellation's delimited production terroir.

1. 1973Historic-monument registration

   The surviving château site was registered as a monument historique in recognition of its heritage value.

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2. 1789End of the Rhône toll system

   The French Revolution abolished aristocratic privileges and ended the toll rights associated with L'Hers.

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3. First known documentary reference

   A charter refers to the site as castellum de Leri and records its transfer by Louis the Blind to Foulques, bishop of Avignon.

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4. Construction of the keep

   Bishop Rostaing granted the fief to Pierre d'Albaron, who built a keep at the strategic Rhône site.

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5. Early reference to Castro Novo

   The name Castro Novo, later associated with Châteauneuf-du-Pape, appears in the historical record.

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6. Papal restoration works

   Pope John XXII initiated restoration of the old château and assigned funds for the work.

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7. Transfer to the de Roquefeuil family

   The fief passed from the Albaron family to the de Roquefeuil family as a dowry.

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A heritage-led Rhône wine identity linked to a medieval river fortress, with red and white Châteauneuf-du-Pape blends emphasizing the appellation's broad permitted grape palette.

• Château de l'Hers red Châteauneuf-du-PapeRed wine

  A red Châteauneuf-du-Pape blend associated with the Château de l'Hers winery. The reported grape composition includes Syrah, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Counoise, Cinsault, Grenache, Vaccarèse and Terret, linking the wine to the broad traditional variety set permitted by the appellation.

• Château de l'Hers white Châteauneuf-du-PapeWhite wine

  A white Châteauneuf-du-Pape blend made with Picardan, Roussanne, Clairette, Picpoul and white Grenache. It extends the château-linked wine identity beyond the better-known red style and reflects the appellation's permitted Rhône grape traditions.

1. Château de l'Hers