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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Montfort-sur-Argens came into being in the 13th century, when the lord Foulques de Pontevès donated it to the Templars of the command of the Ruou in 1197. This strategic site, linked to the Priory of Notre-Dame de Spéluque founded during late antiquity, became a temple house under Alphonse II of Provence in 1207. The military monks played a key role between the Argens and Verdon valleys during the Crusades.

Upon the dissolution of the Order of the Temple in 1308, the seigneury passed to the Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem in 1319, who transformed it into a command office. The original buildings (XIIth–XIIIth centuries) were destroyed in the late 14th century, then rebuilt in the 14th and 16th centuries, before modifications in the 18th century. The castle, spared during the Revolution thanks to its conversion to prison in 1793, preserves medieval basements and facades classified at the Historical Monuments since 1972.

The site, now privately owned, embodies the heritage of religious military orders in Provence. Its architecture blends Templar remains (Saint-Blaise Chapel, basements) and Renaissance additions, testifying to its evolution over five centuries. The surrounding old town, with its ramparts, vaulted alleys and fountains, completes this preserved medieval heritage.

The Priory of Notre-Dame-des-Spéluques, adjacent to the castle and dated 13th–15th centuries, is based on an earlier Gallo-Roman habitat. This underground sanctuary, like the local archaeological remains (tumulus of Collorgues, Roman aqueducts), highlights the historical stratification of the site, from Gauls to Hospitallers.

The commune of Montfort-sur-Argens, labeled for its sustainable forest management (PEFC), today draws its resources from viticulture (cooperative cellar La Montfortaise, founded in 1908), from handicrafts and tourism, while preserving this templar and hospitable heritage unique in Provence Verte.

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