Richerenches

Richerenches
Farm of the Knights Templar
Coat of arms
Richerenches
Location within Provence-A.-C.d'A. region Richerenches
Coordinates:
Country	France
Region	Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur
Department	Vaucluse
Arrondissement	Avignon
Canton	Valréas
Intercommunality	L'Enclave des Papes
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Pierre-André Valayer
Area1	10.96 km2 (4.23 sq mi)
Population (2006)2	795
• Density	73/km2 (190/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	84097 / 84600
Elevation	115–174 m (377–571 ft) (avg. 150 m or 490 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. 2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Richerenches (Richarencha in Occitan) is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.

Truffles

The village is famous for its truffle market as well as for its messe aux truffes in the church located in the village center. Donations are this time not given in money but in 'truffes'. After the service the traditionally dressed brotherhoods of the rabassiers (the people who search for truffles in the ground with trained dogs or pigs) take the donated truffles to a small square in front of the Hôtel de Ville, where they are auctioned. The revenues are for the maintenance of the church and parochial expenses. The village is crowded at this event, that takes place every third Sunday of January.

Knights Templar

In 1136, a local lord, Hugh of Bourbouton, gave the Knights Templar land at Richerenches. Two years later he gave even more, and the next day he took his vows as a Templar. He eventually became the Commander of the Templar commandery of Richerenches, which rose to be one of the most important Templar commanderies in Provence.

See also

• Communes of the Vaucluse department

References

• INSEE