- With friends
- As a couple
- Travelling solo
Les Banquets du Géant: a gourmet celebration in the heart of AOC Ventoux
The vineyards of the Rhône Valley abound in unusual places to discover and dishes to savor, as well as nectars to taste. The Ventoux wine appellation is no slouch in terms of wine and culinary riches, and it's looking forward to showcasing its assets with the famous Banquets du Géant.
Following the success of previous editions, the Banquet du Géant has quickly established itself as an AOC Ventoux highlight. These annual gastronomic and musical gatherings, held in atypical locations across the region, have won us over with their warm ambience and unique settings.
Thanks to this growing popularity, the Banquet, originally organized for the Fascinant Week-End in October, is evolving this year. To our great delight, this time we'll be able to sit down and savour the wine and culinary riches of the Ventoux not once, not twice, but three times a year!
Contents
A first banquet in the inaccessible grounds of Château de Saumane
The ballet of Banquets du Géant kicks off on Sunday June 22nd in the enchanting setting of the Château du Marquis de Sade in Saumane-de-Vaucluse. Closed to the public for two years due to renovation work, this historic Vaucluse monument exceptionally reopens its doors for the duration of the banquet, offering us a unique opportunity to (re)discover this jewel of Provencal heritage, perched high above the Sorgue valley.
At the table, we have the great pleasure of tasting the cuisine of chef Olivier Laplaud of Café-Brocante, in the Marché de Provence in Pernes-les-Fontaines, concocted from local and seasonal produce. We now know a little more about the menu, which promises to be nothing short of exquisite:
- Seasonal salad: broad beans, snow peas, tomatoes and truffle-scented burrata ;
- Mignon de cochon du Ventoux with black olives, tomato confit, parmesan and Venasque spelt tabbouleh
- Goat's cheese from Villes sur Auzon
- Pana cotta with Venasque cherries and shortbread cookie
An alternative is also available for our vegetarian friends. And, of course, the wines of AOC Ventoux winegrowers and producers will match the dishes on offer to perfection.
Practical info: let’s meet on Sunday June 22nd from 11.30am to 4pm in the Jardin du Château de Saumane. 59€ per person, online reservation required.
A pleasure renewed the rest of the year
Mark your calendars for the next Banquets du Géant! For the second banquet, the event returns to its origins, taking place as part of the national event Vignobles en Scène (formerly Fascinant Week-End) in partnership with the Luberon vineyard destination. Rendezvous on Sunday, October 19th, at a still-secret location, to savor a new blend of flavors.
And as the saying goes: never two without three, so let's meet again on Friday, December 6th, 2025 at the Appy nursery in Roussillon for a warm banquet in the spirit of Christmas. You'll have to be patient a little longer to discover the dishes featured at the next two banquets. In the meantime, we're already salivating over the one that awaits us this month!
