Châteauneuf-de-Gadagne, formerly called Châteauneuf la Hache, spreads along the eastern slope of the hills which stretch from Bonpas to Vedène and separate the Rhône plains from the Comtat plains. Several archaeological vestiges show that the site was occupied in the late prehistorical period. However, except for one tomb, there are no ruins which point to Roman occupation.
A town existed on the site during the High Middle Ages, for a cemetery has been discovered on the Cancabeù plateau.Today, Châteauneuf-de-Gadagne retains parts of its ramparts, including a few entrance gates. The church is partly Romanesque, however the belfry dates from the 18th century. The château was built around 1150 and was considered one of the most beautiful in the region. It was abandoned by the Galléans de Gadagne during the French Revolution, then gradually dismantled and used as building materials by local inhabitants.
Today, only a few ruins remain. Fontségugne château, located on the Cancabeù plateau, was built around 1860. The Giéra family purchased it in the 19th century. The château became the meeting place for the group of young Provençal poets, of which Paul Giéra was an active member. During one of their frequent meetings, the group decided to create an institution to revive and burnish the Provençal language. On 21 May 1854, Paul Giéra, Joseph Roumanille, Théodore Aubanel, Anselme Mathieu, Jean Brunet, Anfos Tavan and Frédéric Mistral solemnly founded the Félibrige. Thus Châteauneuf-de-Gadagne became the cradle of the Renaissance of the Provençal language and culture, the Félibrige movement, which worked to defend the language and uphold Provençal traditions. Fifty years later, in 1904, Frédéric Mistral was awarded one of the first Nobel prizes for literature. Today, the Félibrige continues to pursue the objectives defined over a century earlier in the rooms of the lovely château de Fontségugne.
Maison de Tourisme Le Thor - Chateauneuf Place du 11 Novembre 84250 Le Thor Tél. : 04 90 33 92 31 Monday : 14h - 18h. From Tuesday to Friday : 9h30 –12h15 et 14h – 18h Saturday : 9h30 - 12h15. Closed on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
A town existed on the site during the High Middle Ages, for a cemetery has been discovered on the Cancabeù plateau.Today, Châteauneuf-de-Gadagne retains parts of its ramparts, including a few entrance gates. The church is partly Romanesque, however the belfry dates from the 18th century. The château was built around 1150 and was considered one of the most beautiful in the region. It was abandoned by the Galléans de Gadagne during the French Revolution, then gradually dismantled and used as building materials by local inhabitants.