Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château d'Entrechaux, built in the 10th century, is an ancient castle whose remains overlook the village and the Ouvèze valley, in the Vaucluse. His exact origins remained unclear, but his first certified owner was the Count of Provence Geoffroy, who gave him in the middle of the 11th century to Peter II of Mirabel, bishop of Vaison, and his brother Bertrand. This transfer marks the beginning of a long period of episcopal co-signuria, confirmed in 1108 by the pope, integrating the city into the written archives.

For 450 years, the bishops of Vaison administered the castle, until its sale in 1500 by Pope Benedict III to Jerome de Guiramand for 30 annual florins, a transaction validated in 1506 by Julius II. In 1533 Bishop Thomas Cortes tried to recover the fief, but Jérôme de Guiramand avoided a trial by pouring 700 florins and 50 gold ecus. The castle then remained in the hands of secular families, such as the Fogasse (from 1631), and then the Ailhaud (from 1761), until the Revolution.

The destruction of the castle began on 9 September 1792 with robbers, followed by systematic looting and the sale of its stones as a building material in the 19th century. Many houses in the village still retain elements. Since 1987, the site has belonged to the Guiffray family, which is undertaking reconstruction work. Today, the ruins reveal a typical Provencal plan: dungeon, chapel dedicated to Saint Laurent, and pregnant, characteristic of thecastrum villages of Luberon.

The castle, private property, is visited by appointment. Accessible on foot or by car, it integrates into a 6 km hiking circuit, offering a panorama of the valley. Its history reflects the power struggles between clergy and nobility, as well as the revolutionary upheavals that marked Provence.

External links