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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Meyrargues, located 15 km north of Aix-en-Provence, finds its origins in a first defensive construction probably built in the 10th century between the valley of the Arcs and the present village. The fortress, rebuilt in the 15th and 17th centuries, was owned by influential families such as the Baux, Allagonia, Valbelle and Alberta. Its medieval architecture, reinforced by four defensive towers added by the Allagonia, preserves a typically Provencal exterior sobriety, although its interior has been transformed into a luxury hotel.

In the Middle Ages, the castle belonged to major historical figures, including Alienor de Comminges (1329-1402), Viscountess of Turenne and wife of William III Roger de Beaufort, nephew of Popes Clement VI and Gregory XI. She was the mother of Raymond VIII de Turenne, and the castle then passed to John II Le Meingre, dit Boucicaut, Marshal of France, who carried out work there between 1406 and 1408. The fief was also marked by a tragedy in 1605, when Louis d'Alagonia, accused of plotting against Henry IV, was beheaded in Paris, resulting in the confiscation and restitution of his property to his brother Honoré, the last male of his lineage.

In 1637 Honoré d'Alagonia donated the castle to Léon de Valbelle, lord of Cadarache. In the 18th century, a wall of enclosure called 'de la Garenne' was added (1764), while the interior elements, like a monumental chimney of the 16th century, were preserved. The castle was included in the historic monuments in 1990 for its facades, roofs and decorations, and was converted into a 4-star hotel-restaurant before being rehabilitated in 2016 into 26 apartments, including 5 social units. Its park, classified since 1952, is now owned by the commune.

The noble families that succeeded Meyrargues illustrate its strategic and social importance in Provence. The Allagonias, in particular, marked its history by their local power and tragic end, while the Valbelle and Albertas, the Aixese parliamentarians, consolidated its status as aristocratic residence. Although closed to the public, the castle remains an architectural testimony of the transformations between medieval fortress and remains of prestige, reflecting the political and cultural developments of the region.

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