Castillon-du-Gard

About

Castillon-du-Gard is a pretty, perched village with an atypical feel. The historic center is listed by the Architectes des Bâtiments de France. From the “chemin de ronde”, you can admire the view of the Pont du Gard and enjoy panoramic views over the garrigue and vineyards.

Perched on its oppidum, the village always keeps an eye on the majestic site of the Pont du Gard.

Castillon du Gard passed through Protestant and Catholic hands several times, before being dismantled between 1626 and 1628. In the mid-19th century, as the population grew, a second church was built, blending Romanesque and Gothic styles.

Worth a visit
The St-Christophe chapel was built in the 12th century on the foundations of a Romanesque chapel from the early Middle Ages, itself built on a Gallo-Roman settlement.
Excavations carried out in 1997 identified occupations predating the 12th-century chapel. In 1567, part of the structure was ransacked and demolished during the Wars of Religion.
The site was deserted and abandoned by the Benedictine/Cluniac monks, who returned to the Priory of Pont St Esprit.

Chapelle St-Caprais (Romanesque style) on the plain to the north-west of the village, dates back to the late 8th century. It was built in recognition of Charles Martel’s victory over the Saracens in 736 on the Sinargues plateau.
It is highly probable that a small monastery adjoined the building, and served as a dwelling for the monk farmers of the period.

La Gramière
Discovered in 1996, the La Gramière site lies to the north-west of the village, near the St-Caprais chapel.
It consists of 2 large basins that may have served as cisterns for a Roman villa (4th-5th century).
A lead drainage system can also be seen to the south-west. This site has been the subject of archaeological excavations since 1998.

Spoken languages : French

Location