Last modified: 2005-03-05 by ivan sache
Keywords: alpes-maritimes | chateauneuf-villevieille | castle (red) | fleurs-de-lys: 6 (red) |
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![[Flag of Chateauneuf-Villevieille]](../images/f/fr-06-cv.gif)
by Ivan Sache
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The village of Châteauneuf-Villevieille (685 inhabitants) is located 20 km of Nice on the eastern part of the Férion ridge. It is scattered among olive and cherry trees.
There was a Ligurian castellaras (fortified camp) on the site of
Châteauneuf, which was reused by the Romans to build a castrum.
The first Gallo-Roman, civil settlement was located in Villevieille
(Old town); during the VI-VIIth century, it proved to be unsafe and was
abandoned. Its inhabitants moved uphill (623 m asl) and built the new
village of Castrum novum or Castellum novum (Châteauneuf). The
medieval, fortified village (IX-XIIth century), now ruined, was
defended by walls and three main gates.
The domain of Châteauneuf was then shared by some 30-40 co-owners,
including the troubadour Pierre de Châteauneuf (XIIIth century), and is
the root of several noble families of Nice. Châteauneuf was also among
the possessions of the Order of Malta. Among the best preserved parts
of the old village are a creneled tower used to breed pigeons and big
water tanks dug under the houses to collect and s