Monteux, commune in Vaucluse, France
Monteux is a commune in the Vaucluse department of southeastern France, situated in the arrondissement of Carpentras within the Communauté d'Agglomération Les Sorgues du Comtat. The old center still has two medieval gates, the Porte Neuve and the Porte d'Avignon, along with a tower that rises above the surrounding rooftops.
The medieval gates still standing in the old center show that Monteux was once a walled settlement built to protect its residents. The Tour Clémentine, which goes back to the 11th century, survived a fire that destroyed much of what surrounded it.
Every August, residents gather for the Fête de Saint Genis, a procession that leads from the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Nazareth to a small hermitage in the countryside. Participants wear traditional Provençal costumes and sing in Occitan, a language still kept alive in the region.
Monteux sits a short distance from Carpentras and is easy to reach by car or bicycle along flat roads through the Provençal countryside. The Parc de Beaulieu, on the edge of town, has a lake where visitors can go canoeing or cycling, making it a good stop for those who want to spend more time outdoors.
Monteux is one of the few places in France where fireworks manufacturing is a genuine local industry, with several workshops based in and around the town. Each year at the end of August, the town holds a large fireworks display that serves as both a professional showcase for pyrotechnicians and a public celebration.
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