Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Bel Air Castle is located 500 metres northwest of the village of Sigonce, in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, on a hillside exposed at noon. It is surrounded by giant chestnut trees planted in the 18th century. The building, built between the 16th and 18th centuries, would have been erected by the Du Bousquet family, coseigneurs de Sigonce, on earlier medieval remains. Its architecture consists of two square wings connected by a dungeon, extended by towers, with a north facade crowned by an arc of circle. The genoese with four rows of tiles, reserved for high-ranking lords, underline its prestige.

Inside, a monumental staircase features a ceiling adorned with gypsums, while the lintels of the rooms are decorated with eighteenth-century paintings. The gypseries represent birds, animals, and coats of arms probably linked to the Du Bousquet, which illegitimately occupied the seigneury of Sigonce for decades. Among the remarkable elements, a 17th century fireplace, carved with stylized acanthes, remains in good condition. Many other chimneys have disappeared, as evidenced by visible grubbing-up.

Bel Air Castle was listed as a historic monument in 1990 for its decorated interiors and its northwest facade with its curved pediment. Its history reflects the influence of local seigneurial families, such as the Du Bousquet, which marked the architecture and social life of Sigonce for centuries. The building thus combines medieval heritage, Renaissance transformations and beautifications of the 17th and 18th centuries.

External links