Castellane is a small, pleasant town in the Alpes du Haute Provence. It is centrally located along the Route Napoléon (N85), at an altitude of just over 700 meters above sea level. Castellane is an old fortified town whose history goes back to the Roman era. Of the old city walls, just the Tour Pentagonal and a small piece of wall remain.
The rock of Castellane
Towering above Castellane is a huge rock of 184 metres high, on which a church (Notre Dame du Roc) was built centuries so as to be protected from the many enemies at the time. You can walk to the chapel located on top of Notre-Dame-du-Roc from the 12th-century parish church of St-Victor at the bottom of the cliff. This steep climb takes about half an hour. From here you can enjoy a breathtaking view of Castellane and the Gorges du Verdon.
Center of the village
The centre of Castellane is characterized by a central square with old, large plane trees. Surrounding it are small, cosy streets. In these often beautiful, medieval streets one finds nice shops and cosy terraces. This makes the city feel really provencal.
Surroundings of the Verdon
The surroundings are characterized by the natural beauty of the Verdon. North-east of the city you will find the nearest lake (Lac de Castillon), to the west the Gorges du Verdon. To the south is the D4085 to Cannes and Nice, to the north this road leads to Digne les Bains.
A central place in a varied and beautiful region.
Calendar of Castellane
- A provencal market every Wednesday morning.
- Every Saturday morning: a large provencal market.
- In June: the transhumance festival.
- Every Thursday in July and August at 9pm: open air cinema.
- Every Tuesday evening in July and August: night shops.
- Every Wednesday in July and August: Musical Wednesday.
- Every Tuesday from 15 June to 15 September from 10am - 12am: a city tour.