Châteauvieux

Overview

A small commune in the far north-east of the Var (83), bordering the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. A member of the Lacs et Gorges du Verdon community of communes and of the Verdon Regional Nature Park; partly covered by the Haute-Provence Geological Nature Reserve.

Where to stay in Châteauvieux

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What to see, what to do

Church of Saint-Honorat-et-Saint-Maur

The parish church of the upper village, with a bell dated 1668.

Château d'Arbaud (known as Bagarron)

A 17th-18th century château in the lower village, the former seigneurial seat. After being razed during the Wars of Religion, a new château was rebuilt at the end of the 17th century; it took the name Bagarron after being bought in 1818 by Doctor Charles Poilroux, a physician from Aix.

Chapel of Saint-Pierre and remains of the abbey of Saint-Pierre-en-Demueyes

At the col de Saint-Pierre. A Cistercian nunnery is said to have stood here in the 12th-13th centuries (with the abbesses Huguette de Villeneuve and Béatrice de Castellane) before being destroyed during the depredations of Raymond de Turenne.

Chapel of Saint-Joseph and oratory of Saint-Joseph

The chapel of Saint-Joseph at the Plan d'Anelle and an oratory dedicated to the same saint.

Roman milestones

A Roman milestone found at the hamlet of les Demuyes, recording the restoration of the road under the emperor Philip the Arab and his son (244-247), and re-inscribed at the beginning of the 4th century, gave the distance from Castellane. A second, uninscribed milestone was reused at the col de Saint-Pierre.

Fées cave (the Châteauvieux cave)

A cave in the Costevieille area where Bronze Age bones and pottery sherds were found.

Intercommunal war memorial

A war memorial shared with La Martre and Brenon.

History of Châteauvieux

The area has been occupied since prehistoric times (Bronze Age remains in the Fées cave) and was crossed by a Roman road marked by milestones towards Castellane. In the 12th-13th centuries a Cistercian nunnery is said to have stood at Saint-Pierre-en-Demueyes. The community was attached to the viguerie of Castellane by the Count of Provence in 1342. First a fief of the Castellane family, the lordship then passed into joint lordship (Raphaelis, Gombert, Demandolx de La Palud). The château was razed during the Wars of Religion by the troops of the baron de Vins, then rebuilt at the end of the 17th century in the lower village. In 1677 Fortuné de Demandolx sold the lordship to Melchior d'Arbaud de Bresc; the Arbaud family kept it until the Revolution (the lord fled shortly after 1789, the château being sequestrated). Returned to its owners in 1815, the house was finally bought in 1818 by Doctor Charles Poilroux and took the name Bagarron.