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Founded: 11th centuryCategory: Castles and fortifications in France
Historical period: Birth of Capetian dynasty (France)
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The Château de Thouzon, located in the commune of Le Thor in Vaucluse, was originally a fortified Benedictine monastery. It preserves an ancient vaulted church, a chapel, two towers, remnants of walls, and a stone-carved cistern in its courtyard. Privately owned, the site is restored and maintained by a volunteer association that organizes summer youth projects.
In 1014, the Benedictines of Saint-André Abbey gained possession of Thouzon, confirmed by the Bishop of Cavaillon. Throughout the 11th and 12th centuries, prominent figures such as Raymond IV of Toulouse and Pope Gelasius II granted privileges to the abbey. By 1202, the monks of Saint-André held sole ownership of Sainte-Marie and Saint-Pierre churches, despite still owing allegiance to the house of Toulouse. The site was briefly occupied by soldiers in 1396.
In 1563, the Baron des Adrets entered the domain during the Wars of Religion. In 1696, the château was sold to Joseph de Martin, then passed through various families, suffering gradual decline. In 1836, part of the château was dismantled due to local authority orders, despite ownership disputes.
The Thouzon altarpiece, now in the Louvre, consists of two painted willowwood panels depicting scenes from the life of Saint Andrew. Discovered in 1870 in one of Thouzon’s chapels, it portrays Saint Andrew driving out demons and extinguishing a fire with his disciple.
The site is open to pedestrians year-round. Sainte-Marie Church is accessible on the first and third Sundays of each month, during Heritage Days, and on the first Sunday in May.
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.
