Walls

The name of this village is pronounced Murs. The village is located at 500 meters above sea level, along the ridge, at the edge of a fault. The area around Murs has been inhabited since the middle Stone Age. In the Iron Age, around 537 BC, an oppidum was built in Murs. Murs was conquered by the Romans in 124 BC. The fortified oppida were abandoned. The population felt secure enough in the farms of the plains.
At the beginning of the 8th century, the region experienced invasions from the Moors coming from Spain. Around the year 1000, the construction of a castle in Murs began. In the 12th century, a keep was built, which served as a barracks for the soldiers of the region. The castle would be constantly rebuilt until the 18th century. It is a private property that cannot be visited.
In April 1545, a bloody episode occurred there during the religious war against the Waldensians. Catholics persecuted the Waldensians as heretics. Near Murs, dozens of women and children hid in the Bérigoule caves. They were smoked out and all perished. The massacre led to reprisals from the inhabitants of Murs against the Catholics in the region.
The 17th century became the golden age of the village. This is still evident in the numbers on the facades of the houses.
In addition to the castle, the other main attraction is the church of Saint-Loup. It is a Romanesque church from the 12th century. A bust from the 18th century containing the relics of Saint-Loup, Saint-Lambert, and Saint-André is worth seeing; an incense burner and a silver processional cross.
After having a drink on the terrace, we leave the village via the departmental road D4 towards Vénasque and Carpentras. We still have 150 meters to climb to reach the Col de Murs. We first drive along the fields, but the road eventually turns into the mountains.

Wim Willems