Roquemaure, Gard

French commune
nomcommune=Roquemaure
région=Languedoc-Roussillon
département=Gard
arrondissement=Nîmes
canton=Roquemaure
insee=30221
cp=30150
maire=Guy Vernet
mandat=2001-2008
intercomm=Côte du Rhône Gardoise
longitude=4.77916
latitude=44.0525
alt moy=25 m
alt mini=20
alt maxi=176 m
hectares=2622
km²=26.22
sans=4934
date-sans=1999
dens=184
date-dens=1999

Roquemaure is a commune in the department of Gard in southern France.

The city Avignon is nearby. It is most well known for La Fête du Baiser, its famous kissing festival, which began in 1989. Roquemaure is known as "La Capitale des Amoureux", or "The Capital of Lovers". In 1868 the relics of St. Valentine arrived after being purchased from Rome by Maximilian Richard, a local dignitary as it was believed that the relics would protect the vines from phylloxera which ravaged the vineyards in 1866. The relics are kept in the 14th century collegiate church and each year the St Valentine "Festival of the Kiss" attracts over 20,000 people.

Roquemaure was one of Hannibal's stops on his historic journey to Rome. During the medieval era, Roquemaure, which is located on the Rhône River, was an important wine-shipping port. Roquemaure introduced commercial protection of its wine, the famous Côtes du Rhône AOC, by stamping 'CDR' on the barrels. The accompanying rules became the basis of the regulations for today's AOC - "appellation d'origine contrôlée".The town operates a winery named after Saint Valentine (Cave Saint Valentine), as well as a specialty post office that seals envelopes with a kiss.

ee also

*Communes of the Gard department

References

"Based on the article in the French Wikipedia."

External links

* [http://www.roquemaure-gard.com/accueil.php Town council website] (in French)
* [http://www.ot-roquemaure.com/accueil.php?lang=FR Tourist office website]
* [http://www.gard-provencal.com/an/vv/roquemaure.htm Webpage about Roquemaure]