Château d'Oraison

En un regard

Le château en bref

The Château d'Oraison, located in the centre of the village of Oraison (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence), dates back to the late Middle Ages, under the lordship of the Oraison family. It was extensively remodelled in the Renaissance style around 1720 by the Fulque family, originally from Valensole, who acquired the marquisate of Oraison at that date and held it until the French Revolution. The building, constructed of rounded river pebbles, is said to have been ravaged in 1792 and then sold in 1806 to several private owners. In the 19th century, an additional storey was added to house a magnanerie for rearing silkworms; Louis Pasteur is said to have visited in 1868 as part of his research into the diseases affecting this activity. In the 1950s, the premises temporarily housed a postcard factory. Two towers survive from the original complex. Today in both municipal and private ownership, the château notably houses the municipal media library; some rooms can be seen during temporary exhibitions.