Château des Baux, Medieval castle in Les Baux-de-Provence, France
Château des Baux is a fortress perched on a rocky hilltop with thick stone walls, defensive towers, and a rectangular keep overlooking the Provence landscape. The compound includes residential buildings, storage areas, and fortification systems that were expanded over several centuries.
The fortress was built between the 10th and 16th centuries as the seat of the Lords of Baux, becoming one of the region's most powerful strongholds. After conflicts during the Wars of Religion, it was dismantled in 1632 and only partially restored afterward.
Summer workshops teach visitors medieval crafts such as coin minting and herbalism, showing how people worked and lived within fortress walls long ago. These hands-on activities reveal the daily routines that once filled this stronghold.
The site is accessible year-round and offers guided tours in multiple languages along with combined tickets to nearby Carrières de Lumières. Wear sturdy shoes since the terrain is steep and uneven with paths crossing old stone stairs.
The current royal family of Monaco holds the title of Marquis of Baux, maintaining a direct link to this ancient fortress. This connection reveals how far the influence of this medieval lordship once extended.
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