Citadelle de Sisteron, Medieval citadel in Sisteron, France
The Citadelle de Sisteron perches on a rocky outcrop where fortified walls command views over the Durance valley below. The site contains several towers, bastions, and underground passages that reflect different defensive strategies built over centuries.
Construction occurred in phases spanning the 13th to 16th centuries, with each era adding new defensive methods. These layers show how military technology shifted and how the location adapted its protective capabilities.
The site serves as a performance venue where theater and music unfold within ancient walls today. This use brings the stones to life and draws people who want to experience the place's layered past.
Access involves stairs and pathways kept in steady condition, allowing visitors to explore different levels throughout the grounds. Sturdy footwear is wise, especially in wet or windy conditions, as the upper areas are exposed to the elements.
A stairway carved directly into the bedrock descends toward the town and dates from the 19th century. This hidden passage shows how residents once sought to make the descent more practical.
Location: Sisteron
Opening Hours: March 21-March 31,October 16-October 31: Monday-Sunday,Holidays 09:00-18:00; April-May,October 01-October 15: Monday-Sunday,Holidays 09:00-18:30; June,September: Monday-Sunday,Holidays 09:00-19:00; July,August Monday-Sunday,Holidays 09:00-19:30; November Monday-Sunday,Holidays 10:00-17:00
Email: citadelle@atmsisteron.fr
Website: http://citadelledesisteron.fr
GPS coordinates: 44.19889,5.94306
Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:04
The Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region combines medieval villages, historical fortifications, and natural areas between the Mediterranean coast and the Alps. The landscape ranges from the lavender-covered plateaus of Valensole to the steep limestone cliffs of the Calanques and alpine passes above 8,900 feet (2,700 meters). Geological formations like the mushroom-shaped Demoiselles Coiffées de Théus and the reddish sandstone rocks of Annot show millions of years of natural shaping. Monasteries such as Abbaye de Sénanque and Thoronet Abbey preserve Cistercian architecture, while villages like Gordes and Les Baux-de-Provence maintain their medieval layouts. The coastal settlements of Èze, Menton, and Gourdon sit on rocky perches above the Côte d'Azur, their narrow streets leading to viewpoints overlooking the sea. The Lérins Islands off Cannes and the Îles d'Hyères offer quieter coastal landscapes with Mediterranean vegetation. Inland, hiking trails like Sentier Martel pass through the Verdon Gorge, while the Vallée des Merveilles displays prehistoric rock engravings in an alpine setting. Fortifications including the Citadelle de Sisteron, Fort Carré in Antibes, and the ruins of Fort de Buoux document centuries of military history at strategic passages and heights.
Sisteron Citadel
52 m
Sisteron Cathedral
358 m
Inscription de la Pierre Écrite
6.7 km
Hôpital de Sisteron
592 m
Prieuré Saint-Gervais d’Entrepierres
5.7 km
Chapelle Saint-Marcel de Sisteron
456 m
Église des Dominicains de la Baume
528 m
Convent of the Visitation
363 m
Église Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais de Bevons
5.4 km
Grotte du Château de Saint-Didier
3.6 km
Musée du vieux Sisteron
202 m
Enceinte de Sisteron
400 m
Maison des missionnaires de la Croix
394 m
Building of the Savings Bank of Sisteron
446 m
Église Saint-Clément de Salignac
5.9 km
Église Saint-Gervais-et-Saint-Protais de Vilhosc
5.7 km
Église de l'Assomption de Ribiers
7.7 km
Église Saint-Sauveur de Valbelle
7.6 km
Chapelle Notre-Dame-du-Château de Sisteron
46 m
Monument to Paul Arène
347 m
Église Saint-Saturnin de Mézien
5.1 km
Hôtel d'Ornano
236 m
Église Saint-Marc d'Entrepierres
3.8 km
Église Saint-Julien d’Aubignosc
7.8 km
Chapelle Saint-Joseph de Salignac
5.9 km
Chapelle Saint-Honoré des Escoffiers
7.6 km
Église Sainte-Thérèse de l’Enfant-Jésus de Salignac
5.5 km
Chapelle des Missionnaires de la Croix de Sisteron
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