Site officiel de l'Office de Tourisme de Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres

Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres is a medieval village located on the right bank of the river "Rhône" surrounded by the famous vintages of the "Côtes du Rhone" and "Lirac", in contact with Provence and Languedoc. Its rectangular tower and its fortified church give it a fortress appearance.

The fortified church
Raised under the term of martyr Saint Laurent, it belonged to a civil lord of an unknown feudal line who made a gift of it to the bishop of Avignon in 919.
Formerly located in an enclave of an old diocese of Avignon, the romanesque church traditionally built in Latin cross shape received in the XIVth centrury a defensive apparatus that the tradition allots to the bishop Jacques Deuze future pope Jean XXII (1316-1334).
Typically emerged from the romanesque provencal art this church has been listed as a historical monument since 1892. Nowadays, it is an exceptional break on the religious romanesque routes of the South.

The "Jacques Deuze" feudal Tower
Its ancient aspect as well as its beautiful architecture make that this tower deserves the honor to be a listed monument.
It is proudly drawn up in the center of the village with a XIIth century ground-floor and higher levels rebuilt at the beginning of the XIVth century.
One easily recognizes the Gothic openings of the higher storeys.
A covered way encircled the top level allowing a panoramic surveillance. The northern part has preserved its original state.

The "Ribas" Tower :
Close to the feudal keep stands the romanesque Ribas Tower shaded by two secular cedars.
Today an information and reception office, the tower shelters a remarkable model representing the village as it used to be in the Middle Ages.
Carried out from the old land register this reproduction allows each visitor to imagine and understand the former arrangement of the village. The ramparts, the moats and the two gates with drawbridges have partially disappeared because of successive installations but still remain visible in certain places.
In the tower one can distinguish old painting traces on the walls and the added staircase reaches the first floor, which is now used as a showroom during the summer season.