Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Notre-Dame du Roc

From the 11th century on, people left the safe site on the rock and moved down to the valley of the Verdon river, where a fortified town was built. Two centuries later the settlement on the rock was given up completely and all inhabitants of Catsellande lived inside the town walls, that had more than 10 gates. Saint Victor, erected in the 12th/13th century, was originally the seat of a priory of Saint-Victor Abbey in Marseille. From 1442 on this was the parish church of Castellane. As the parish grew the church had to be enlarged and so a second nave, but a century later the church was too small again. So Sacré-Coeur, now a parish church, was built in 1868–1873 and widened by side aisles in 1896. Seen overlooking the scenery is Notre-Dame du Roc.

Castellane has a public swimming pool for the "castellanais" and the visitors of the town. But be aware, there is a very strange dress code. As it was really hot, I decided to take a dip. I paid the entrance fee and changed clothes, but before I could jump in, the pool attendant stopped me. My bathing trunks were too long. Bermuda style bathing trunks are not allowed for the male guests, only men wearing bathing slips are allowed here to swim. Elderly men hate these slips... I got my money back. Notre-Dame du Roc, dating from the Middle Ages, is seen here from the valley. The chapel really dominates the city of Castellane.

Notre-Dame du Roc, dating from the Middle Ages, dominates the city of Castellane from atop the Rock and belongs to the former Convent of Mercy. But only the wall and the south façade date from the twelfth century; the building was half demolished during the wars of religion and rebuilt in 1590. Crumbling by 1703, the chapel was again rebuilt in the early eighteenth century and once more in 1860.