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Key figures

Origin and history

The Château Bertaud, located in the commune of Gassin in the Var (Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur), has its origins in the 16th century, although Roman and Gallic remains attest to an earlier occupation of the site. Built by the lords of Bertaud, dependent on the parish of Gassin, it initially served as a seigneurial residence and as a strategic point for anchoring boats in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez. The estate consisted of two mills, a fountain and a chapel, and its name was used to designate several local geographical places, such as the Plaine de Bertaud or the Pin de Bertaud.

In the 19th century, the castle became a popular place for tourists and artists, thanks to its position on the road to Saint-Tropez. The writer Jules Adenis described it in 1892 as a neo-Gothic building with crenellated turrets, marked by the presence of a famous parasol pine at its entrance. The estate, then owned by the Lyon families Peissonneaux and Janmot, also housed a magnanerie later transformed into a hotel (the Mas de Chastelas). The artist Louis Janmot stayed there and made works inspired by the places.

In 1912, the castle was integrated into an industrial site with the creation of a torpedo factory by the British company Whitehead, chosen for the discretion of the Gulf. Nationalized in 1937, the factory remained active until 2003 under the aegis of DCNS (now Naval Group). The castle then served as a dwelling for the director of the establishment. In the 20th century, the estate was also marked by archaeological discoveries, such as Roman coins and a Gaulish amphora, as well as by polemics during its sale in 2016 to a private buyer, under conditions deemed opaque by local elected officials.

The chapel of the castle, built in 1882 at the request of Marie-Louise Philomène de Pessoneaux du Puget, measures 15 m2 and reflects the local religious influence. Architecturally, the castle is distinguished by its four round towers and its neo-Gothic style, with a three-storey main body. Its strategic location, close to the crossroads of the Foux and the mouths of the Bélieu and Bourrian rivers, made it a key place for the transit of goods between the Massif des Maures and the Mediterranean.

The lords of Bertaud, coseigneurs de Gassin until the sale of their land to the Marquis de Grimaud, lost their title after the Revolution. The last private owner, Norbert Janmot, sold the estate at auction in 1906 for 5,000 francs. In the 20th century, the site was used for torpedo testing, with a dedicated dock and light signals for fire. The two mills in the estate, which had been destroyed in 1917, once served as landmarks for sailors.

Today, the future of the castle remains uncertain after its disposal in 2018, complicated by environmental issues (discovery of a field of large mother-of-pearls) and legal issues (public maritime domain). Its history reflects the transformations of a seigneurial, agricultural, tourist and industrial site, marked by economic and strategic developments in the region.

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