Castle of Roure

The Castle was built in XV century on a rocky hill to defend the ancien road which crosses the naural "Pont d'Arc". It is a focal point of local history: the wars of religion and the camisards revolution. On the border of Languedoc and Vivarais this place guarded the strategic passage into the Ardeches Gorge.

The castle belonged originally to the earl Grimoard de Beauvoir du Roure who was protestant. During religious wars the duke of Rohan (who was the chief of huguenotes) slept here in 1628 during the siege of Salavas Castle. In 1629, Louis XIII and Richelieu ordered to destroy most of the building. The duke of Rohan converted to catholicism.

After the Revolution the castle was sold to the Pradier family.

Apart of this historic building to visit there is a silk museum on place where a family of huguenotes shows different phases of the silk production with matching weavinglooms. It demonstrates the re-creation of the work of silkworm breeders and mulberry tree plantations. Discover the complete life cycle of silkworm breeding, from live eggs to moths.

In 1978 the castle has been listed as a Historic Place in France.