- The pontifical castle:
- It is Pope John XXII who will choose to build in "Châteauneuf Calcernier" today Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a residence, both a resort and above all, a defense post.
- Located north of the papal city, the site is located on the border with the principality of Orange. Its strategic position, high up and on the edge of the Rhône, allows it to control the access road from the north.
- Construction of the castle began in 1317, one year after the election of John XXII, and ended in 1333, ie one year before his death.
- The village is also fortified and a new larger enclosure is built. This work is attested as early as 1316, a year before the start of construction on the castle.
- Pope Clement VII will spend the most time at the castle. Other towns were also second homes for popes such as Sorgues or Malaucène, but very few architectural elements from this period remain.
- The castle after the popes:
- After the papacy left for Rome at the beginning of the 15th century, the will and the resources to maintain the castle were lacking. The bishops or archbishops of Avignon who were responsible for it got rid of it and it was abandoned. However, during the Wars of Religion, its strategic location enabled it to resume service.
- In the 17th century, despite its dilapidation, the site was still occupied, restorations and repairs were undertaken. Numerous prices-facts testify to this work and allow, to a lesser extent, to know the state of conservation of the castle and the nature of the work undertaken.
- In 1798, at the end of the French Revolution, the château and its estate were auctioned off to a certain JB Establet, acting on behalf of around thirty of his fellow citizens. A year later, he resells it equally to his sponsors.
- In 1892, the remains were returned to the state and immediately classified as a Historic Monument.
- Slightly restored in 1910 then in 1931, the site was occupied by the Germans during the Second World War; the dungeon transformed into an arms depot and an anti-aircraft observation post by its 115 meters altitude.
- The D-Day Landings in Provence triggered the retreat of the occupying forces. The castle garrison, which stored explosives and ammunition there, blew it up before leaving on August 20, 1944, destroying the entire northern part of the castle. Only one side of the keep, to the south, and the cellar remained intact. The west facade, although already in ruins, resists the explosion and still shows through its windows the three-storey arrangement of the castle.
- 700 years have passed since its construction and despite the ravages of wars and time, the remains of the pontifical castle, bathed in sunlight, remain proudly standing at the top of the hill, crowning the village.
- Access by car via the D68.