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Origin and history

The Tower of the Abbés of Fontvieille, also called the Tower of Canillac, was built in 1353 by order of Pierre de Canillac, Abbé de Montmajour. The latter, close to Popes Clement VI and Gregory XI, had this tower erected to protect himself from the lords of the Baux, a powerful rival family in the region. The canillac coat of arms, still visible today on the dogive cross of the tower, attests to its noble origin and defensive role in the context of the feudal tensions of the fourteenth century.

In the Middle Ages, Fontvieille was a village structured around its source, the Fons vetus, and its early parish church, Saint-Jean-du-Grès, dependent on Montmajour Abbey since 1067. The tower is part of a network of local fortifications, including the Castellet Castrum (XII century) and the ruins of the medieval village of Montpaon. These buildings reflect the strategic importance of the region, marked by conflicts between local lords and religious institutions.

The tower survived the following centuries, becoming an architectural witness to the power struggles in Provence. In the 16th century, convent buildings were added nearby, using the local stone extracted from Fontvieille quarries, operated until the First World War. The tower, classified as a Historic Monument in 1927, today illustrates the medieval Provencal heritage, linked to the history of the abbeys and noble families that shaped the region.

Fontvieille, located in the Bouches-du-Rhône, drew for a long time its resources from agriculture (AOC wine, olives) and stone extraction, activities that marked its landscape and economy. The tower, with its Gothic style and its intact coat of arms, remains a symbol of the medieval heritage of the village, attracting lovers of history and architecture.

The site is also associated with the memory of the Abbés de Montmajour, an influential Benedictine abbey in Provence. The presence of the Canillac coat of arms and the defensive structure of the tower recall the alliances and rivalries that animated the region, between religious and secular nobility. These elements make it a key monument to understand the political and social dynamics of the Provençal Middle Ages.

Today, the Tower of the Abbés of Fontvieille, integrated with the local heritage, is a place of visit that allows to explore the medieval history of Provence. Its inscription in the Historical Monuments in 1927 underlines its architectural importance and its role in preserving the collective memory of Fontvieille and the Alpilles.

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