Castellane: Heritage, Museums and Trails

Castellane offers a range of options for a stay: a museum dedicated to natural and cultural history in the village centre, historic buildings and trails for a variety of activities. The surrounding area is also part of the picture. Whether you are interested in heritage, nature or a particular route, the offerings vary in content and format, making it easy to choose according to your own interests.

Heritage and Museums in Castellane

The Maison Nature & Patrimoines is located in the centre of the village. Its permanent exhibition, “Sirènes et fossiles”, explores the time when manatees and dugongs lived in the sea that covered the region. The Maison also provides information from the Parc du Verdon, a shop, and year-round events and activities. This brings together nature-related topics and regional culture under one roof; the programme may change.

The village’s history can also be discovered at various sites. The Itinéraire des silhouettes uses eight silhouettes to present the history and architectural and cultural heritage of Castellane. Petra Castellana consists of medieval ruins accessible via an interpretive trail. The Tour Pentagonale dates from 1359 and is part of Castellane’s former fortifications, which comprised 14 towers in total. The original building of the Prieuré et église paroissiale Saint-Victor is believed to date from the first half of the 13th century.

Each museum has a different focus. The Citromuseum displays more than 120 original Citroën vehicles from 1938 to 1998. They are in exceptionally good original condition and have very low mileage. The Musée de la Résistance offers self-guided visits at any time; private guided tours are available on request. On display are numerous objects and documents, as well as authentic photographs; some of the exhibits are extremely rare. Life-size reconstructions depict scenes from life underground and in the Maquis. Since visiting arrangements may change, check the current details before your visit.

Rocky Outcrop, Trails and Excursions

The Roc de Castellane is a distinctive rocky spur rising more than 200 metres. Along the Sentier du Roc, fountains and benches provide places to rest. If you are taking these facilities into account when planning, check their condition in advance.

For a horseback ride, the Route Napoléon à Cheval starts in Castellane. It is 18 kilometres long and is listed as taking five hours. From Castellane, it follows the banks of the Verdon and passes through the heart of the Réserve naturelle géologique de Haute-Provence. Le tour des lacs offers a different activity: this 23.5-kilometre circular cycling route starts and ends at the Castellane tourist office. The two options therefore differ both in activity type and in the stated duration or circular format. Route conditions may change; check them before setting out.

Nearby, Lac de Castillon is close to the centre of Castellane. It has developed beaches and supervised swimming areas, whose facilities may vary seasonally. If you are planning a visit to the lake, check the conditions on site in advance.

For local produce, visit the Maison de Produits de Pays des Gorges du Verdon: a permanent covered market with an area for regional products and promoting the region. Operating arrangements may also change here; check the current conditions before making firm plans to visit the market.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Julien-Du-Verdon, Sausses, Chabrières, Barcelonnette, La Condamine-Châtelard, La Foux, Valensole, Aubignosc.

Go to the main travel overview: Alpes-De-Haute-Provence.