Since its creation, the Château du Barroux has been a seigneurial seat, passing through noble families until the 18th century. Originally part of the Principality of Orange and then the Toulouse domain, it became a fief in 1274 under the Comtat.
The castle, initially a fortified keep, was transformed in 1536 by the Rovigliasc family into a Renaissance residence with decorative windows. During the Wars of Religion, it was captured and retaken in 1563 but sustained little damage. Expanded in the 1680s with Vauban-inspired fortifications, it included artillery and defensive features, maintaining its military readiness.
In 1791, it was damaged by revolutionary forces and fell to ruin, serving as a quarry until 1929 when André Vayson de Pradenne began restoration. WWII saw it occupied by German forces, and it was burned down in 1944. Restoration efforts resumed in the 1960s, and the site, now open to the public, is preserved by the Vayson de Pradenne family and the 'Friends of Château du Barroux' association. Recognized as a historical monument in 1963, the castle hosts cultural events today.
The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.