Workshop Centre
Established in the year 1160. A strategic high point at the foot of the Luberon mountains. The Count of Forcalquier gave it to the Sabran family . A family that was to give Queens to France, England, Romania and Naples. A family that still inhabit the chateau.
St. Elzéar de Sabran born in 1285 passed his youth between Ansouis and the Court of Naples. At the age of fourteen, on the orders of Charles 2nd. King of Naples, Elzéar was married to Delphine de Signes aged 13, last descendent of the Vi-counts of Marseille. Thus Charles joined two families favourable to his cause.
Ste. Delphine brought up in a convent had already made a vow of chastity, she agreed to marry Elzéar if he too would take the same vow, he did. Both lived their married lives outside any union of the flesh, and it is recorded visually that both consecrated their lives to good work
Delphine lived a life of abstinence taking a vow of poverty and doing good work, recorded as ecstasies, visions, prophecies and healing of an equally miraculous nature. She died at the age of seventy three. Such was her popular reputation, she was canonized vox populi. Both passed into a living legend.

Festival of St. Elzéar

Each year on the first Sunday of September this history is celebrated with a fête. First with a mass in the village church. Then both busts are carried by the existing Sabran family, and together with the people of the village proceed up to the courtyard of the chateau. According to custom the saints are placed on a platform, the people of Ansouis then pass beneath touching with their heads and making a vow.
A g e n d a               A i m s            P r a c t i c a l            M e            F o r  W h o m          P r o v e n c e          L e a r n          C o m m e n t         E n r o l m e n