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Origin and history

Castellaras de Thorenc is a medieval archaeological site located in Andon, Alpes-Maritimes. This 1400 m high rocky pile, naturally protected by cliffs, housed a strong castle whose 14th century walls gird a platform of 7,500 m2. The site also includes a 12th century Romanesque chapel, a cistern, and traces of an ancient pastoral village scattered in oak woods. An oppidum celto-ligure previously occupied this strategic place, near the Ventiane road linking Cimiez to Castellane.

The first document mentioning Thorenc's castrum dates back to 1200, and a 1263 text lists 18 fires (homes), revealing a local life centered on pastoralism. The surrounding caves served as sheepfolds or dwellings. The hamlet was ruined in 1391 during the conflicts between the successors of Queen Jeanne, causing her abandonment to the nearby valley of the Lane. The cadastre of 1837 still described 135 hectares, including 6 hectares of ruins (church, castle, chapel).

The site, which was included in the survey of picturesque sites in 1969 and historical monuments in 1991, now suffers from a lack of maintenance. Vegetation and erosion threaten the remaining structures, such as the bastioned chapel or defensive system. Despite this, Castellaras offers an exceptional panorama of the Prealps, the Mercantour, and the Loup valley, accessible by hiking trails from Thorenc or the valley.

Castellaras illustrates the adaptation of medieval communities to a steep relief, combining natural defense and human development. Its decline in the 14th century reflects the political upheavals of the region, while its archaeological remains testify to its role in the exchanges between the coast and the Provençal hinterland via the ancient ways.

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