Beaumes de Venise is in the department of Vaucluse (capital Avignon) which is, in turn, in the north-west corner of the Region of Provence Côte d’Azur (capital Nice). The “de Venise” is nothing to do with Venice but a contraction of Comtat de Venaisson, the papal state centring on Carpentras which existed independently within France from 1274 until 1791. (Part of the reason for the move of the papacy to Avignon was because that area adjoined the Comtat).
Beaumes is the centre of a wine growing region most famous for the eponymous Muscat but also producing its own appellation reds and rosés. Domaines producing Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Mont Ventoux, Seguret and Sablet wines are all adjoining and there is a wide variety of Côtes du Rhone.
The region is also very popular for cycling, due to its proximity to the iconic cycling challenge. Mont Ventoux, and for hill walking around the Dentelles.
