Château de la Barben

The castle’s later story includes a dramatic event: anarchists tried to set fire to the Château de La Barben on the night of December 27, 2025. Earlier, in 2025, Vianney d'Alançon entrusted its management to Paulin Reynard, a leading figure in the Félibrige literary movement. Before that, Vianney Audemard d'Alançon bought the castle on December 31, 2019, and established Rocher Mistral, a theme park about Provence, there. Its modern history began in 1963, when agricultural engineer André Pons became the owner and moved in with his family. He opened the castle to the public in 1965 and created the La Barben animal park in 1971. His descendants were still living there at the beginning of the 21st century. The castle was listed as a historical monument by decree on December 21, 1984. The building had already gone through major changes: an earthquake at the beginning of the 20th century brought down the keep, and reconstruction work followed. It had also been badly damaged during the Cascaveous revolt on November 4, 1630. After it was sacked, the castle was rebuilt, and gardens were added under Louis XIV. Its history reaches further back. The first mention of the castrum of Barbentum is in the 1064 cartulary of the Abbey of Saint-Victor in Marseille. The construction date is unknown, though it was probably built before 1000. It belonged to the Pontevès family, then to King René in the 15th century. He sold it in 1474 to Jean II de Forbin, brother of Palamède de Forbin, known as "the Great," who helped bring Provence into the French Crown in 1482. The Marquises of Forbin owned it for nearly five hundred years, until 1963. Princess Pauline Borghese, née Bonaparte and Napoleon's sister, lived there during a tumultuous love affair with Auguste de Forbin. See also: Rocher Mistral.

So great! ❤️😘😎✌️