Templars Sites: Southeast France
The Templars brought craft and custom from the East and left a legacy of fortresses and shrines. Their architecture is well noted for its skilled stonework, and their masonry expertise later helped Europeans build the great castles and churches of the Middle Ages.
Here are some of the places in Provence and France where the Knights Templars were established:
Biot - the Counts of Provence gave Biot to the Templars in 1209. Biot is a very picturesque and very popular medieval village that's actually about 2500 years old. It sits on a hilltop only 4 km from the Mediterranean beaches between Antibes and Nice.
Cairanne - Templars ruled here, before passing it to the Hospitalers. The old village sits on a low hilltop that commands a magnificent view out across the broad landscape of fields and vineyards, with views of other tiny villages scattered out in the distance. The old village is beautifully restored, keeping the feeling of when the Knights Hospitalers lived here in the 12th century. Of those ancient days, only some of the walls remain from the days of the knights. The Chapelle St. Roch, built into the old wall beside the Porte d'Autanne, was constructed in the 18th century.
Le Fugeret - the Templars cleared the land here for farming.
Greoux-les-Bains - the Templars' castle dominates the town. The ancient chateau overlooking the town adds a lot of character, especially when viewed from a certain distance. It dates from the 12th century, with building or restoration in the 13th, 14th and 17th centuries.
Lapalud - Co-ruled by the Templars until the 11th century.
Lorgues - the Templars Commanderie du Riou built here in 1156.
Richerenches - the Templars first Commanderie here. Richerenches is a small walled town, once the walled Commanderie des Templiers - the fortified headquarters of the Knights Templars. In the 12th century, Richerenches became one of the most important Commanderies des Templiers in Provence. Today, the walls are mostly delineated by the houses around the periphery, the towers at the corners, and some of the Templiers buildings inside the walled town.
Senez - once a Templars establishment in this tiny village.
Trigance - Legends of a Templars treasure hidden in the castle.
Vacqueyras - Templars rule.
Elancourt - a Templars Commanderie here, between Maurepas and Trapes. The Élancourt Commandery is an old estate, once used as a local headquarters for the Knights Templar.
