Château de Cadenet, château fort français
Château de Cadenet is a castle ruin positioned on a hilltop in Cadenet, southern France, with views of the Durance valley. The remains consist of foundations and stone walls partly carved into the soft rock of the hillside, forming a network of tunnels, caves, and small rooms cut into the cliff face.
The castle was founded in the 11th century as Castrum Cadenatum to defend the region and control trade routes between Aix and Apt. During the French Revolution in 1792, it was attacked and looted by revolutionaries, after which it was abandoned and eventually used as a quarry for building materials.
The castle was originally called Castrum Cadenatum and shaped the identity of the settlement from the 11th century onward. The people who live here are called Cadenétiens, a name that reflects their connection to this hilltop place.
The site is accessible to visitors for exploring the ruins and enjoying views of the Durance valley. The main access starts from Place du Tambour d'Arcole and follows an earthen path leading to the ruins set within natural surroundings.
The walls were built in the 1540s and stretched nearly 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) with round towers and four main gates. Today, several sections remain embedded in the rock face, revealing the impressive scale of this medieval fortification.
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