Photo : PhillipC / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
Montbrun-les-Bains
Packed against each other, the old stone houses have gained in height the space they did not have on the ground. The streets converge on the twelfth-century church, which is integrated into the old ramparts. Inside, you can admire a very fine altarpiece by Bernus and remarkable paintings. Higher still, four round towers are the only remains of the castle built in the sixteenth century. Powerfully fortified, it combined Renaissance elegance with military efficiency. It was not the wars of religion that brought it down but the Revolution of 1789. The upper part of the village is more picturesque. You should go to the Place de l'Horloge, in terraces, with its tower topped by a campanile. It was a defensive structure, one of the four gates of the old town. From its high-perched position, Montbrun offers many views over the plain, the Baronnies and Mont Ventoux. This fine, lively village has put its baths back into operation, fed by two sulphurous springs, and the thermal estate has grown with a fitness centre.
