Near Apt Visit Château de Mille for Wine and the Castle

Since buying our little place over six years ago, we must have cycled past the huge old barrel at the entrance to the Château de Mille hundreds of times and have always wondered what it is like, promising ourselves that one day, we would go and visit this ancient Domaine.

This week, we finally had a chance to drive down the road to find out more about the Château, which has been producing wines for almost 800 years and has recently seen a new winery being built alongside the old cellars that have now been converted into an elegant tasting area and shop.

Continue reading here for the original blog post by Vaucluse Dreamer.

Château de Mille Information

Long before commercial winemaking, the site had a long and interesting history. As mentioned in Avignon’s Papal records (1238), Château de Mille was built along with other structures near Apt to protect the ancient Roman city of Apta Julia. In addition, the castle was a summer residence for some Avignon Popes, including Clement VI.

The vineyard’s terroir is a mix of limestone, clay, and sandy soil, which is excellent for many grape varietals. Many red varietals grow on old vines, up to 70 years in the case of the Grenache, with some newer plantings for several white grape vines.

Chateau de Mille (website)
Route de Bonnieux
84400 Apt
Telephone: +33 (0)4 88 85 22 15
email:contact@chateaudemille.com
They offer wine tastings and guided tours.
Since 2018, their wines have been organic.

Book a Place to Stay near Apt!

Apt Visit and Touring Ideas

A Day in Apt:

In 2018, Jen and Chris Mallon sold everything and moved from England to Apt in the South of France. It was a quick move. They decided to relocate in June and arrived in France at the end of September. They left their jobs, sold a house, put everything into storage, and headed through the channel tunnel to begin a new life in Provence. Now that they are settled into life in the Luberon and running Cent Cinq self-catered apartments, we asked Jen how she would spend a day in Apt.

Visit Saignon:

There are many beautiful Luberon villages – Gordes, Ménerbes, Roussillon, and Bonnieux, to name a few. However, Saignon is one to add to your list to visit. It’s just above the town of Apt, so you could perhaps head to its excellent market on a Saturday morning and then pop up to Saignon. I say ‘up to Saignon’ as it’s situated on a steep ridge with a massive rocky outcrop, and the village is beautiful and quite distinctive as you drive towards it.

Head to l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue:

L’Isle sur la Sorgue is one of the best places in Europe to find antiques – enjoy the mixture of art, antiques, and brocantes across the many beautiful shops and antique villages. There are excellent cafés and restaurant options for a mid-morning pause or lunch alongside the river. Take time to visit the Villa Datris foundation for contemporary sculpture and wander around the exhibits in the house and garden. The excellent weekly market in l’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue is Sunday morning. However, avoid this market in August if you don’t like crowds!

Exploring from Apt 4 Day Trips