Château de Gréolières, Medieval castle in Gréolières, France
Château de Gréolières is a medieval fortress built on a rocky hilltop overlooking the surrounding landscape in the southern French Alps. The ruins retain their original outline with polygonal stone walls, remnants of windows and doorways, and the foundations of residential and defensive structures within the enclosure.
The castle first appears in written records around 1079 as a holding of the viscounts of Nice. By 1230, the Count of Provence took control and incorporated it into his expanding domain.
The structure reveals how people in medieval Provence built for defense, using carefully cut stones and strategic positioning on a hilltop to protect the surrounding valley. Visitors walking through the ruins can sense how inhabitants organized their lives around safety and control of the landscape.
The site is not freely open and requires prior permission from the local municipality before visiting. Wear sturdy shoes as paths are uneven and stone structures can be unstable in places.
Archaeological work at the ruins uncovered significant rebuilding in the late 1300s, a period when the region faced considerable turmoil. The modifications suggest the castle underwent major adaptations to meet new military demands of the era.
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