Château de Tournefort

En un regard

Le château en bref

The ruins of the Château de Tournefort overlook the old hilltop village of Tournefort, in the upper Var valley (Alpes-Maritimes). The seigneury, associated with the Tornaforte family and later attached to the County of Beuil, was granted to Jean and Louis Grimaldi of Beuil in 1388. It remained in the possession of the Grimaldi family until the execution of Annibal Grimaldi, Count of Beuil, in 1621, after which it passed to the Caissotti family. In 1723, the seigneury was transferred to the Piedmontese Bruno family, originally from Cuneo (Coni). The old village, built on an isolated rocky promontory, was severely damaged by the earthquake of 1887 and gradually abandoned in the early 20th century; it was described as ruined in 1916, the last inhabitant having left around 1937–1938. The remains of the castle, now overgrown with vegetation, include in particular vaulted cellars and are still accessible via maintained footpaths.