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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The castle of Hyères, built in the 11th century by Pons de Fos, is a medieval castle in ruins located on the hill of Castéou (198 m), overlooking the town of Hyères in the Var. Its remains, classified as historical monuments in 1862, include ramparts and elements of the old castle listed in 1926. The motto Arearum Castrum ("the castle of the area") is engraved at its entrance, reflecting its historical importance.

The first mention of the castle dates back to 1062 under the term castrum, followed in 1074 by castellam, suggesting the emergence of a village around it. In the 13th century, after conflicts between the lords of Fos and Charles I of Anjou, the territory passed to the latter in 1257. The castle, enlarged and renovated, welcomes royal figures like Saint Louis (1254), François I (1530), and Charles IX (1564).

During the wars of religion, the castle often changed hands before being dismantled in 1620 on the order of Louis XIII, after a five-month siege led by Henry IV. Current remains include round towers, collapsed walls, and defensive elements such as a sloping door protecting a well. Archaeological excavations have been carried out since 2014.

The site, privately owned, preserves traces of its feudal past: dungeon (Grande Tour), chapel, stables, and defensive systems in limestone and shale. Two orientation tables and informative panels were added during recent renovations. The letterwoman George Sand visited him in the 1850s.

The Saracens, expelled from the region in 972–973 by Guillaume de Provence, had preceded the construction of the castle. Offered to the lords of Fos as a reward, the territory of Hyères became a strategic issue until it joined the royal domain in 1481. Charles Quint's military campaigns (1524, 1536) partially spared the castle.

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