Barbentane, perched on a rocky outcrop, is a typically Provencal, medieval commune with a rich heritage, reflecting the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Celto-Ligurian vestiges.
Take a stroll through its narrow streets, and admire the many monuments and superb façades of typical medieval houses.
Numerous sites are listed as Historical Monuments.
At the heart of the village, one of the oldest of these buildings is the Romanesque church with its magnificent 12th-century bell tower.
The bell tower and porch have been classified as historic monuments since 1921.
Right next door is the Maison des Chevaliers, also dating from the 12th century and remodeled in the 15th, the former seigniorial home of the Marquis de Barbentane.
The 28-metre-high Tour Angelica, built in 1365 and crowned by a round turret, overlooks the village. It was the keep of the episcopal castle. Today, it remains the great witness to medieval times, having been carefully restored in the 18th century.
As was traditional in the Middle Ages, the village grew up around the castle, protected by fortified ramparts. Two of its gates still stand today: the Porte Calendale dating from 1302 at the northern entrance and the Porte de Séguier to the south - where villagers used to dry their fruit and vegetables - the latter taking its name from the Provencal word “seca”.
Further down, you can't miss the splendid Renaissance château, nicknamed the “Petit Trianon du Soleil”, which the Marquis de Barbentane had built in 1674 and which his son subsequently remodeled in 1741. It is still the residence of the marquis's family.
The “most Italian of Provence's castles” boasts period furnishings and a sumptuous decor of stucco and Carrara marble. Unfortunately, the château was closed to visitors in 2014.
Through the fence, however, you can see its Italianate terraces, adorned with balustrades and sculptures and overlooking its magnificent park.
The entire château, including the farmyard buildings and park, has been listed as a “Monument Historique” since 1949.
Finally, on the way to Saint-Michel de Frigolet abbey, as you leave the village, you can admire the Bretoule mill, the only remaining of the six mills in the commune.
Barbentane Tourist Office
3, rue des Pénitents,
13570 Barbentane
Tel.: 04 90 90 85 86
http://www.barbentane.fr/-Office-de-tourisme-.html
