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Origin and history

Ferreyroles Castle, located in the north of the Gard department, is a feudal building today in ruins. Built between the 10th and 12th centuries, it stands on a rocky piton overlooking a meandering gorge of the Cèze. This strategic site served as a strong place in the Middle Ages, protecting the lands of the Dukes of Banne and playing an advanced post role in times of conflict. Its defensive architecture includes a small enclosure, a variety of murderers, and a dungeon whose biased entry disadvantaged the assailants.

The castle has three to four levels, complemented by a natural underground used as a fresh cellar in the limestone rock. Its façade combines a stone wall on the north side (coast side) and a less resistant masonry on the south side, probably for housing. A central tank, still waterproof, bears witness to its autonomy. The difficult access, between cliff and steep hill, strengthened its defensive function. In the 20th century, the tourist development of the gorges led to the destruction of an ancient mill near the road leading to the river.

Today closed to the public and private property of a nearby campsite, the castle is invaded by vegetation and is gradually deteriorating. Once freely accessible, its walls carry graffiti left by visitors. Despite its state, it retains remarkable architectural elements, such as a staircase with irregular steps designed to hinder attackers, or a dungeon door adapted to the shape of the rock. His history is documented by archives, including a study by Alain Paul, curator of heritage, published in 1987 in the magazine Rhodonie.

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