Orpierre, formerly a possession of the Mévouillons, became a fief of the Princes of Orange in the 15th century. The Route of the Princes of Orange still links these two territories.
The origins of the Route
Discover the historical link between Orpierre and the Principality of Orange
To understand what the "Route of the Princes of Orange" is, you have to understand what the Principality of Orange was. It was a territory that depended on the Holy Roman Empire, as was the rest of Provence at that time. This principality had its capital in the city of Orange (in Vaucluse) and both were landlocked in the Comtat Venaissin.
Orpierre was a fief that depended on the Mévouillon family (before being sold by Galburge de Mévouillon), annexed for a time to the Dauphiné. The Dauphin sold his territory to Jean de Chalon, who became Lord of Orpierre and it was the grandson of Jean de Chalon, Baron of Orpierre and Trescléoux, who by marrying Marie des Baux, heiress of the Principality of Orange, linked the destinies of Orpierre and Orange! The house of Baux, which provided princes of Orange between 1115 and 1702, and whose descendants are today the House of Orange-Nassau, the reigning family of the Netherlands, then came into possession of these two new fiefs. Orpierre became the possession of the Princes of Orange who therefore used this route to travel from Orange to their fief of Orpierre. This 107-kilometre route which links the two territories took the name of Route des Princes d'Orange.
Princely heritage and historical resistance
Dive into the fascinating history of the Princes of Orange in Orpierre
It was used for a long time as it was on the circuit between Northern Italy, Dauphiné and Avignon where the popes had settled in the 14th century. It was used for more than 4 centuries by the many pilgrims, merchants, bankers who passed through Montgenèvre to go to Italy. During the 15th century, the Orpierre lock, an obligatory passage, was secured by fortifications with three gates closing the enclosure, which made it possible to shelter not only the "Maison du Prince" but also the Grand Rue with its Renaissance houses and even a Jewish quarter, the Boureynaud, headquarters of the banking center.
Roaming on the Balconies of Protestantism
Discover a 2-day hike linking Orpierre and Trescléoux. This itinerary immerses you in the local Protestant history while offering breathtaking panoramas of the surrounding mountains, including the Monges massif and the Dévoluy. With approximately 21 km spread over two days and stages of 4h30 of walking each day, this route is ideal for combining culture and nature.
The best known of these Princes of Orange, William I of Nassau, allied himself in the 16th century, during the Wars of Religion, with the French Protestants when he led the uprising of the Greater Netherlands (which included Holland, Belgium and part of northern France) against Philip II of Spain, who wanted to restrict the rights acquired by the old charters to better combat Protestantism. The village of Orpierre would, during the 16th century, resist Richelieu and then Louis XIV under the protection of the Princes of Orange. It was an isolated Protestant stronghold in the Dauphiné. Subsequently, the Wars of Religion marked the beginning of its decline, the castles and fortifications that protected this route were dismantled on the orders of Richelieu around 1633. Orpierre was returned to France in 1713 during the Treaty of Utrecht.
Zoom on a bike route
This Princes of Orange bike route will take you on a varied itinerary that follows the Céans valley. Enjoy a break in the medieval village of Orpierre before tackling the Col Saint-Jean. If you want to take your time on this route, stop off at our producers and artisans.
A historic 107 km route
Travel the Route of the Princes of Orange
The name Route des Princes d'Orange is given to this 107-kilometre route which links the town of Orange (Vaucluse) to the village of Orpierre (Hautes-Alpes) via Rasteau, Vaison-la-Romaine (Vaucluse), Buis-les-Baronnies (Drôme), the Col de Perty (1302 metres) Laborel then the Céans valley and the hamlet of Bégües, commune of Sainte-Colombe. In memory of this long historical period, the road was inaugurated under this name on 12 June 1956, in the presence of Baron van Boetzelaer van Oosterhout, ambassador of the Netherlands to France, and the prefect of Vaucluse. It is a popular tourist route which crosses the landscapes of Vaucluse, Drôme and Hautes-Alpes, between vineyards and lavender fields.
