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Origin and history

The upper château of Bourdeaux, incorrectly called "the Counts of Poitiers", is a ruined medieval fortress built in the 12th century. Located on a hill at 474 meters above sea level, it overlooks the village and the castle of bishops, with which it shared a territorial control function. Its current name is an abuse of language, because its builders, the house of Poitiers, bore the title of "counts of Valentinois" and not of Poitiers. The site, called Le Chatelas, was used to monitor a crossroads of paths and a priory linked to Savigny Abbey.

The present remains form a pentagon of 2000 m2, flanked by three full towers and a partially preserved rectangular dungeon, dating from the 12th century. The main entrance to the west gives access to a central courtyard. The dungeon, whose only wall remains, is decorated with an archvolt decorated with palmettes and interlaces, bears witness to the military architecture of the period. The castle has recently been serviced thanks to clearing operations organized by the municipality.

The church of Bourdeaux, under the county of Diois, was the object of tension between the Counts of Valentinois and the bishops of Die, then of Valencia-Die, in the 13th and 14th centuries. These conflicts led to the construction of two rival castles, as in Crest: one comtal (upper castle), the other episcopal (lower castle, mentioned in 1321). The first written trace of the upper castle dates back to 1210, under the name mota de Bordellis, in an agreement between Count Aymar II of Poitiers and Bishop Humbert II of Die, transferring the land of Bourdeaux to the Counts.

In 1324, Amédée de Poitiers, son of Aymar IV, inherited the castle, which remains an issue in conflicts with the Church. In 1332, Aymar V put an end to tensions with Bishop Aymar of La Voulte, a close relative, during a tribute to the pope. A charter of 1333, now disappeared, confirmed the seigneury of Aymar on the upper castle. The Treaty of Lyon (1356) definitively seals peace: the Count ceded Bourdeaux and Bézaudun to Bishop Louis de Villars in exchange for the fief de Crest. The destruction of the castle, often attributed to Raymond de Turenne in 1396, remains an unproven hypothesis.

According to local tradition, the upper castle, already in poor condition, would have offered little resistance during its alleged destruction. The present, though fragmentary, vestiges allow us to imagine its strategic role in feudal struggles between Comtal and Episcopal power. The site, now accessible, offers a panorama of the Roubion valley and recalls the turbulent history of this border region between Dauphiné and Provence.

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