Allegre Castle

Allegre Castle - Château d'Allègre, Allegre-les-Fumades, Gard, Occitania, French Republic.

The Château d'Allègre is located in the commune of Allègre-les-Fumades, in the Gard department.
It is believed that the first fortifications were built in the 11th century, when a complex of buildings and a defensive tower were erected on the western side.
The first mention of a defensive fort in this area dates back to 1163, when Bernard de Ferreyroles paid homage to Bernard Pelet, the Baron of Alès.
In the 12th century, construction continued on the eastern side, where a massive keep (donjon) was built.
A document from the reign of Philip Augustus, dating to 1211, indicates the existence of a lordship of Allègre during that period. The castle was further expanded in the 13th century.
Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries—the era of the Hundred Years' War—the castle was attacked on several occasions. A document from 1678 confirms that the castle had already been in a ruined state for a long time.
Allègre has been classified as a historical monument since 1862. However, it was not until the 20th century that an association was formed to promote the preservation of the castle.