Castillon tower

3 points of interest

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  Architecture

  Castillon

  Castillon is the name of both the hamlet and the tower located slightly below it. The hamlet was a very early victim of rural depopulation. Its inhabitants went to live in Bessèges, whose houses had more domestic comfort. Even today Castillon has no running water, and those who live there have to be creative to procure a sufficient and steady supply.

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  History

  Castillon castle

  From afar, you can only make out the tower, which was used for area surveillance. You need to be on-site to understand that there must have been an entire mediaeval complex here. Note the cistern carved into the rock at the foot of the tower, and the spouts used to fill it with rainwater collected from the roofs. Only a few vestiges remain of the castle. Its buildings were surrounded by a ditch to reinforce the defences. We know for sure that the castle existed in 1211, but we do not know the dates of its construction or demolition...

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  Architecture

  Foussignargues

  Foussignargues was its own municipality until 1972, but is now part of Bessèges. It has a brick church, which is very rare in the region. This is a reminder of the extent to which Cévenol architecture was influenced by the mining epoch, especially in its use of terra cotta, which had previously been almost unknown in the area. Work has been carried out to make the church more secure, especially by the addition of a render that covers the bricks.