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Origin and history

The fortified monastery of Thouzon, located in the commune of Thor en Vaucluse, is a former Benedictine priory founded in the early 11th century. In 1014, the bishop of Cavaillon, Ingilaramnus, confirmed the donation of the churches of Mount Thouzon to the abbey of Saint-André de Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, marking the beginning of its monastic settlement. The site, transformed into an allodial fief in 1088 by Raymond IV of Saint-Gilles before his departure for the first crusade, became a strategic and religious issue under the authority of the Counts of Toulouse and the popes.

In the 12th century, Thouzon enjoyed pontifical privileges, such as those granted by Gélase II in 1118, and saw his suzerainety shared between Saint Andrew's Abbey and the local lords. In 1162, Count Raymond V of Toulouse gave up some of his rights to the family of Chateauneuf de Gadagne. The monastery however lost its status as the first priory in 1202, while retaining its two churches, Sainte-Marie and Saint-Pierre, under the supervision of Benedictine monks. The site was briefly occupied in 1396 by Raymond de Turenne's troops and was liberated by Gaston de Montecatino.

During the Wars of Religion, in 1563, the Baron of the Adrets seized the domain, illustrating his defensive role. Sold in 1696 to Joseph de Martin, secretary of state, the monastery entered a phase of decline: successive owners, including the Merle families of Beauchamp and Bourget, neglected his maintenance. In 1836, despite a trial won against the Town Hall of Thor for partial destruction, the buildings were not restored. Today, the site, a private property managed by an association affiliated with the Union Rempart, is partially open to the public and is the subject of voluntary restoration projects.

Among the treasures of Thouzon is a 15th century altarpiece, discovered around 1870 in one of the chapels. Composed of two wooden panels of willow depicting scenes of the life of St.Andre, it is now preserved at the Louvre Museum. This altarpiece, as well as the architectural remains — two towers, a cistern dug in the rock and walls — bear witness to the past importance of this fortified priory, classified as a historical monument in 1987.

The monastery occupied an area of 1,600 m2 at the top of a hill, offering a dominant position on the plain of Comtat Venaissin. His spatial organization included a vaulted church, a chapel, and defensive elements reflecting his dual religious and military role. Recent excavations and restorations, carried out notably by the Laboratory of Mediterranean Medieval Archaeology, allow to better understand its evolution between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

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