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Thouzon Castle was a monastery and then a castle, having belonged to the Benedictines of the Abbey of Saint-André de Villeneuve-les-Avignon from the beginning of the 11th century to the end of the 17th century. There was a village around this castle, the village of Thouzon.

The oldest known act concerning Thouzon dates from 1014: He attributes to the Benedictines of Saint André de Villeneuve (near Avignon) possession "of the churches that are or will be on Mont de Thouzon, with their outbuildings". The text already mentions the presence of a village.

In 1088, the Count of Toulouse, Marquis of Provence, confirmed this possession. But this act mentions that the Marquis reserves the albergue[1] and the right to go there in an army.

In 1096, Pope Urban II confirmed Thouzon's possession at the Abbey of Saint André by quoting only Saint Pierre de Thouzon.

In 1118, Pope Gelasius II granted new privileges to Saint Peter of Thouzon. "He concedes indulgences for May 3, the feast of the invention of the Holy Cross and the octave that follows."

In 1140, an act again mentions the 2 churches of Saint Mary and Saint Peter, but also the wood, the adjoining village and the entire territory with the marsh, fish and shores.

In 1171, despite the property of the Benedictines, the Count of Toulouse Raymond V asked Giraud Amic to fortify Thouzon, but he kept high sovereignty, the rights of justice, cavalcade[2] and albergue on the future castle. This act mentions the "monasterio" while in 1202, we speak of the "castro". And after that date, we do not encounter in any act the terms of monks, monastery, priory...

In 1178, a Latin text evokes "the churches of Saint-Pierre and Notre-Dame-de-Thouzon with the village located on the mountain, as well as its marsh and all the adjacent territory, tithes, first fruits, oblations, cemetery and mountain..."

1396: The castle is occupied by the soldiers of Viscount Raimond de Turenne (the "Scourge of Provence"). Rector Gaston de Montecatino hunting them.

1549: A door pediment stone carved with the arms of Abbé François de Castellane (Abbot of Saint André and Lord of Thouzon) indicates a probable restoration of the castle.

1563: Baron des Adrets at the head of his gangs of Huguenots enters the domain of Thouzon and stays there. The texts speak of 400 arquebusiers.

1594: César de Brancas, abbot of Saint André and lord of Thouzon, plans repairs to the castle (price-fact: Archives de Vaucluse).

1696: Abbé de Saint-André, François du Roure, lord of Thouzon, sells the castle and land to Joseph de Martin, count palatin, archivist and secretary of state.

After the latter, it was the successive Marquises of Merles de Beauchamp who owned it without ever living in it until 1846.


1700, 1705, 1727: Work is undertaken on the roof of St. Mary's Church.

1987: Creation of the Association for the Thouzon Site affiliated to the REMPART union.

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[1] Albergue: right that obliges the vassal to offer lodging and lodging to his lord once a year.

[2] Cavalcade: the Lord's right to take man and beast to complete his army.
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