Oppéde le Vieux A Chateau and village in ruins
A place of surveillance and defence, of the ancient 'road of Bronze' between Spain and Italy which came to be the Roman, 'Voie Aurelia'.

The Chateau, built in 1220 by Count Raymond V1 of Toulouse, was ceded to the Pope in 1274 , its protection assured by the Abbey of Montmajour who installed two Knights of St. John -of-Jerusalem; brother Augier and brother Foulques Roustaing.
Surrounded on three sides by a vertical drop, it is thought the anti-pope Benoît X111 was assassinated here. Rays of sunlight just penetrate the tall thriving vegetation which from a distance almost disguise the abandoned village. You can still walk up the narrow streets of an entire medieval village and enter the ruins of the castle
In 1420 Pope Martin V gave responsibility for Oppède to Guillaume de Baux under whose rule its court life (l'amour courtois) flourished.
 
 
However Raymond de Turenne, penultimate Lord of Les Baux, in his reign of terror was to burn and sack the Chateau, the village and take everyone prisoner.
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A i m s        A g e n d a           F o r W h o m             P r a c t i c a l          M e            H e r e           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 t