Château d'Alphéran, French château in Puyricard, Aix-en-Provence, France.
Château d'Alphéran is a château in the countryside north of Puyricard, at the foot of the Trévaresse range. Its entrance has two square pillars of light grey stone blocks, each topped by a carved lion facing inward, and open black wrought-iron gates with vertical bars and curved tops. A dirt and gravel path runs between rows of trees.
Construction began in the early 17th century under the Forbin des Issarts family, lords of Sainte-Croix, and the building was completed in 1724. On 19 September 1724 Jean-Baptiste de Forbin sold the bastide of Sainte-Croix to Claude Alphéran de Bussan, ennobled by letters patent in June 1724 for his services during the great plague. The estate then passed by inheritance through the Alphéran, Ferry du Plantier and Monléon families.
The name Alphéran comes from a Provençal family that died out; Claude Alphéran de Bussan, ennobled in June 1724 for his service during the great plague, bought the bastide of Sainte Croix on 19 September 1724 from Jean-Baptiste de Forbin. His descendant Paul Alphéran, bishop of Malta from 1728, published the first catechism in Maltese and founded the Rabat seminary in 1756.
The property now serves as an event venue where weddings, business meetings, and photography sessions can take place. Visitors should arrange in advance since the site operates primarily for organized functions.
The estate passed by marriage dowry rather than sale: in 1818 Marie-Alexandrine Alphéran de Bussan brought it to Joseph Barthélémy de Ferry du Plantier, and in 1847 their daughter Henriette carried it to the marquis Charles Gratien de Monléon. Mathilde de Monléon, born of that union in 1850, inherited it in turn.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,050 contributors worldwide.