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Key figures

Origin and history

Castel Merlet was a fortified castle built in the 6th century, overlooking the village of La Malène in the gorges of Tarn (Lozère). Its remains, rediscovered in 2007, make it the oldest known castle in France. The foundations reveal an occupation linked to the geopolitical tensions of the time, between the Frankish kingdom and the Wisigothic Septimania, where the Gevaudan served as a buffer zone.

The history of Castel Merlet is intimately linked to Saint Ilere, bishop of the Gabales around the year 500. According to tradition, Ilère intervened during a free seat in La Malène to buy captives. A miraculous episode, where a frank soldier died in flames after threatening the bishop, would have precipitated the end of the siege. This account illustrates the spiritual and political role of local clergy in the conflicts of this period.

Archaeological excavations in 2007 confirmed the exceptional length of the site, pushing back the origins of medieval castles in France. Although completely ruined, the Castel Merlet offers a rare testimony of early fortifications of the High Middle Ages. Its association with the nearby monastery (perhaps Sainte-Enimie) and the legend of Saint Ileus makes it an emblematic place of the Lozerian heritage.

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