Château de Vauvenargues

Flanked by two towers of the 14th century and surrounded by a 16th century wall, the property belonged in 1257 to the archbishops of Aix. Its history, linked to that of Provence, passes by King René in 1473, who then yields his land to his doctor Pierre Robin d'Angers. The families of Cabanis, Jarente and Séguiran owned the castle until 1548, when, through the marriage of Marguerite de Séguiran and François de Clapiers, it passed to the Clapiers. Under the impulse of Henri de Clapiers, lord of Vauvenargues, first consul of Aix and procurator of the Pays de Provence in 1674, important works modify the medieval stronghold of the castle and give it its current configuration, taking seated on the Outcrop of the rocky peak as well as the strong walls that will be preserved. In 1722 Joseph de Clapiers saw his lands erected as a marquisate for services rendered during the Great Plague of 1720. And it was the third Marquis of Vauvenargues who sold the castle in 1790 to the Isoard family, whose coats of arms are still visible today On the ramparts and facades of the building. Inside, in a drawing-room still velvet, remains the portrait of Cardinal d'Isoard. In 1943, the estate was sold by Simone Marguerite d'Isoard Vauvenargues to three Marseilles industrialists. It was then transformed into a holiday camp for the children of the merchant navy personnel (a few parasitic installations remained of this period), and then sold in 1954 to the civil society Société Agricole du domaine de Vauvenargues. Pablo Picasso bought the property in 1958 and painted some of his famous paintings. The illustrious artist was buried there in 1973. The castle of Vauvenargues remains a private property.