The Jews of the Comtat Venaissin formed a Jewish community established in this Provençal region under the authority of the popes, who ruled the area from 1274 to 1791.

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History and Status of the Jews of the Comtat Venaissin

Origins and Papal Protection

After the expulsion of the Jews from the Kingdom of France in 1306, the Comtat Venaissin and Avignon (which belonged to the Pope) became places of refuge for Jewish communities.

They were granted the right to reside there, though under strict conditions.

The “Four Holy Communities”

The Jews of the Comtat were allowed to live in four towns: Carpentras, Cavaillon, L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, and Avignon (which was papal but administratively separate from the Comtat Venaissin).

These towns contained "carrières" (meaning "street" in Provençal), designated Jewish quarters where Jews were confined and which were closed at night. Jews were also required to wear distinguishing signs.

 

Community and Cultural Life

These Jewish communities had their own synagogues, rabbinical courts, and distinct religious traditions.

The synagogues of Carpentras and Cavaillon, still visible today, bear witness to this era.

Jews practiced specific trades, particularly in commerce, moneylending, and medicine.

 

The End of Special Status (1791)

With the French Revolution and the annexation of the Comtat Venaissin to France, Jews were granted full citizenship.
They gradually left the old carrières and settled in larger cities.

 

Heritage and Legacy

Today, traces of the Jewish past in the Comtat Venaissin remain visible:

• The Carpentras Synagogue (1367), the oldest still-functioning synagogue in France.

• The Cavaillon Synagogue, now converted into a museum.

• The Jewish cemeteries in these towns, silent witnesses to centuries of Jewish presence.