Once upon a time... read amazing story bellow
Bargeme, Provence
Bargeme is the highest village of the “Var” department and is located 1100 meters high. The village is well known for the ruins of it’s medieval castle who can be seen from very far away in the valley.
This castle has a kind of tragic story….
The castle was built in the Xiii century and belonged to the family “de pontèves”, lords of this mountain area. Very soon, people went to live near of the castle, because of his high position over the valley, you could see everything that happened in the valley and if enemies were coming, the people would see them soon enough to get secured in the castle. And the village grew up very quickly.
In the Xviii century, during the religious wars in France (Catholics against protestants) the people choose mostly the protestant side, not because of the religious belief, but against their lord who remained catholic. The lord asked his cousin, chief of the catholic army in this area to occupy the village and force the people to remain catholic and under his orders. This army took the place, mistreated the people and went away by stealing everything they could from the village (as it was the custom for armies at this time…)
The Lord of Ponteves, back in his legitimacy, organized a special church service to inaugurate the new era of his power. But the people, once the army gone, wanted only revenge against their lord for what he made by calling this army to plunder the village. The took all the arms they found, interrupted the church service and killed their lord, went into the castle to plunder everything they could and began to destroy it! Gosh! they meant it seriously and seem that they really didn’t like their lord…. Soon after that, the 2 sons of the lords came to the village to claim the heritage of their father and lordship over the place: they were killed too by the people of the village who wanted to remain free. That’s why they decided to destroy the whole castle as they could, and stay free without any lord.
To be forgiven for their sins, they built some years later a little church near of the castle, and very soon the lordship was overtaken by another Lord of the area, but now they didn’t have anymore castle to be protected….
Well, this village today has something magic about it… the ruins of the castle, the whole landscape made of mountains and valleys is absolutely beautiful and as it is a bit far away from every great town.
Source:
www.lomography.com/magazine/13941-bargeme-one-of-the-most...
Once upon a time... read amazing story bellow
Bargeme, Provence
Bargeme is the highest village of the “Var” department and is located 1100 meters high. The village is well known for the ruins of it’s medieval castle who can be seen from very far away in the valley.
This castle has a kind of tragic story….
The castle was built in the Xiii century and belonged to the family “de pontèves”, lords of this mountain area. Very soon, people went to live near of the castle, because of his high position over the valley, you could see everything that happened in the valley and if enemies were coming, the people would see them soon enough to get secured in the castle. And the village grew up very quickly.
In the Xviii century, during the religious wars in France (Catholics against protestants) the people choose mostly the protestant side, not because of the religious belief, but against their lord who remained catholic. The lord asked his cousin, chief of the catholic army in this area to occupy the village and force the people to remain catholic and under his orders. This army took the place, mistreated the people and went away by stealing everything they could from the village (as it was the custom for armies at this time…)
The Lord of Ponteves, back in his legitimacy, organized a special church service to inaugurate the new era of his power. But the people, once the army gone, wanted only revenge against their lord for what he made by calling this army to plunder the village. The took all the arms they found, interrupted the church service and killed their lord, went into the castle to plunder everything they could and began to destroy it! Gosh! they meant it seriously and seem that they really didn’t like their lord…. Soon after that, the 2 sons of the lords came to the village to claim the heritage of their father and lordship over the place: they were killed too by the people of the village who wanted to remain free. That’s why they decided to destroy the whole castle as they could, and stay free without any lord.
To be forgiven for their sins, they built some years later a little church near of the castle, and very soon the lordship was overtaken by another Lord of the area, but now they didn’t have anymore castle to be protected….
Well, this village today has something magic about it… the ruins of the castle, the whole landscape made of mountains and valleys is absolutely beautiful and as it is a bit far away from every great town.
Source:
www.lomography.com/magazine/13941-bargeme-one-of-the-most...