Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Saint-Maime, located in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, was built between the 12th and 13th centuries as a residence of the Counts of Forcalquier. This strategic site overlooks the Mane plain and the confluence of the Laye and Largue, offering a remarkable panorama. The last count of Provence, Raymond Bérenger V, lived there until his death in 1245. The castle, surrounded by ditches and walls, included an octagonal limestone dungeon and a castral chapel dedicated to Sainte-Agathe, vaulted in a broken cradle and decorated with 14th century wall paintings.

The chapel of Sainte-Agathe, rectangular and covered with lauze, houses frescoes depicting the apostles under trilobed arches. Initially, access was via the west, but a curved door was pierced south in 1745, as evidenced by the engraved date. The castle, partially in ruins, now retains its dungeon and chapel, classified as historical monuments since 1998. These remains illustrate medieval castral architecture and the political role of the Counts of Forcalquier in the region.

The site, owned by the commune, dominates the village of Saint-Maime and offers a testimony of Provencal history. The excavations and architectural studies reveal a continuous occupation since the Middle Ages, with subsequent developments such as the door of 1745. The chapel, with its flat bedside and paintings, is a rare example of medieval religious art preserved in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. The 1998 classification helped preserve these emblematic elements of local heritage.

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