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Origin and history

Montdardier Castle, located in the Gard 9 km from the Vigan, has its origins in the 12th century as a medieval fortress. Its strategic location, on a hill overlooking the valley of the Glèpe, allowed it to control the ancient track linking the Vigan to Lodève. This site was used as a defensive post from the Roman era, then as a crossing point for pilgrims of Santiago de Compostela. The fortress, mentioned as early as 1099 in the cartular of the abbey of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, was originally built between the village and the hamlet of the Sanguinède, a place still called castel viel.

Over the centuries, Montdardier Castle has played a key role in regional conflicts. During the Hundred Years War, he was strengthened in 1365 to resist the English. In 1469 he was burned by troops in the service of the Count of Armagnac, then looted in 1563 during the Wars of Religion. After partial restoration at the end of the 16th century, its fortifications were partially demolished in 1609 by order of the Duke of Ventadour. In 1703 a new restoration was undertaken, but a fire in 1792 during the Revolution reduced much of the building to ruins.

The major restoration of the castle took place around 1860, when Fernand de Ginestous entrusted to Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc the task of drawing up plans for a reconstruction. The architect, famous for his neo-medieval style, re-edited the fortress almost entirely, retaining only a 15th century tower and some original substructures. The castle, which dominates a landscape up to Mont Ventoux in clear weather, symbolizes the historical tensions between Causse and Cevennes, as well as between different religious and political factions. Since 1989, it has been listed as historic monuments and remains a private property, not open to the public.

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