The name "Voulte" derives from Occitan, meaning "méandre" (meander), referencing its location on a dramatic bend of the Jaur River.

Historically, it was part of a feudal seigneury defending the confluence of the Héric, Jaur, and Orb valleys, with a castle built on a rocky spur as early as the 11th century

The Château de la Voulte was constructed in the 11th century to control the three valleys. Only its chapel, Saint-Roch de la Voulte (built between the 11th–12th centuries), remains today.

The Chapelle Saint-Roch de La Voulte, perched on a rocky spur, has such legendary acoustics that locals joke it’s where even off-key singers sound like opera stars. Every summer, it hosts classical concerts, and legend says the echoes are so perfect they once made a grumpy hermit break into spontaneous applause—for himself

Click on any image for enlarged image and navigation views.