Our medieval hilltop village we all dream about with it's cobbled narrow streets, ancient olive trees, old buildings and balconies, fortified walls and gate houses, gargoyles, a choice of excellent restaurants and other shops.
There are spectacular views of the surrounding plains, of the river Gardon and of the Pont du Gard in the distance. Five hundred years ago the view would have been different, wheat and vines would have been the primary crops; silk production was the cash crop and the mulberry tree the primary food for the silkworm and many old trees can still be seen. Two hundred years later the view had changed to olives, cereals, vegetables and la garance, a root stain used to dye the trousers of Napoleon's army a bright red. The garrigue in the distance, once dominated by evergreen oaks would have been either cultivated or browsed by flocks of sheep. It is now home to wild lavender, thyme, marjoram, wild garlic and rosemary - being the real "herbs de Provence".
The quarries from which the stones for the Pont du Gard were cut still operate to-day and are in the next village of Vers, less than 5 minutes by car!
The immediate area surrounding Castillon is rich in history. The twelfth century monastery at St. Christophe can be seen from the D892. The monks helped support a leper colony which lived in caves beneath the village which had once been a home to Neolithic man!
The Chapel at St. Capres is over 1000 years old and was recently restored by the Foreign Legion. 1996 the Roman villa of La Gramière was discovered and it is still be excavated today. An excellent example of a "capitelle" or stone shelter where itinerant shepherds, charcoal producers or farmers tending to their vines can still be seen close to la Gramière.
All this within a stones throw of Mas Raffin.
Mas Raffin in the beginning of the 20th Century
06.2007 Penny Healy and Jonathan Steafel
Mas Raffin, 30210 Castillon du Gard, France
info@masraffin.com