Castillon-du-Gard, a medieval village near the Pont du Gard

Near the Pont du Gard, Castillon-du-Gard reveals cobbled lanes, stone houses and a path around the old village with views over the surrounding countryside. These photographs follow a stroll through the village and towards its chapels.

A village near the Pont du Gard

Castillon-du-Gard is a medieval village located at the southern end of the Gorges du Gardon, a short distance from the Pont du Gard. The village is built on a small projecting plateau (at an altitude of 90 metres) overlooking the Gardon valley planted with vines and cherry trees. The view extends to the Pont-du-Gard, from which the arches set in the scrubland can be seen in the distance. Castillon is located a little off the roads that go to Uzès in the west and Bagnols-sur-Cèze in the north, it is a peaceful and quiet village, more active during the tourist season.

Outside the village, to the northwest, there was a beautiful Roman villa whose remains are still visible, it was the centre of an important agricultural property where grapes and olives were pressed. Castillon takes its name from the castle that was built here, a defensive structure protecting the population. In the Middle Ages the village called "Castrum de Castelione" was owned by the Bishop of Uzès. A village consul was appointed by the bishop. The Wars of Religion were catastrophic for Castillon: the village was taken over by the Protestants in 1568, then taken over by the Catholic party two years later. The Protestants of Uzès seized it again in 1575 and their opponents finally took it back in 1580, after which Castillon was badly damaged.

The medieval lanes and stone houses

Today, however, Castillon is for visitors a very beautiful medieval village, one of the most beautiful in the Gard department. The Façades were beautifully restored in the 1970s. Around the central square decorated with two century-old olive trees, at the bend of the narrow cobbled streets, there are remains of ramparts, mullioned windows, buttresses, gargoyles and fountains. The church of St. Christopher is more recent, dating from the 19th century. Outside the village are the Chapel of St. Christopher (to the south-east), the Romanesque Chapel of St. Caprais (to the north-west), an ancient place of pilgrimage, and the ruins of a leper colony, a place where leprosy patients were isolated.

The path around the old village offers views towards the Pont du Gard, the garrigue and the vineyards. Take time to look for carved details and old doorways along the lanes.

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Sights and activities :

Castillon-du-Gard official website : www.castillondugard.fr

• Medieval village superbly restored
• Romanesque chapels Saint-Caprais from the 12th century and Saint-Christophe from the 13th century (ruined)
• Remains of a villa of Gallo-Roman origin, occupied until the Middle Ages. They are located 500 metres north of the village near the Saint-Caprais chapel.
• Ruins of a semi-troglodyte leprosarium near the chapel of St. Christopher
• Washhouse, located 500 meters south of the village.
• Windmill, built in 1719, renovated in 2015.
• Village festivities: check the dates announced by the municipality.
• Walking routes connect the village and the Pont du Gard area. Choose a route suited to your abilities and check distances, access and signs locally.
• Markets and seasonal events: consult the municipality’s current programme.

Coming to Castillon-du-Gard

GPS coordinates N 43°58'13'' - E 4°33'16''

The village of Castillon-du-Gard is located in the department of Gard, near the Pont du Gard and the town of Remoulins.

Location : altitude 92 metres, 3 km from Vers-Pont-du-Gard, near Pont du Gard, 11 km from Collias, 16 km from Uzès, 26 km from Avignon, 30 km from Nîmes,