Historical tour of the village

Founded in 1982 by two grimaudois; Decuers André and Guy Giraud, the museum has been enriched over the years with donations of objects from the local population that cares about its heritage. Today extended by the municipality, this patient work of recovery and conservation allows you to discover its rich past and this old Provençal life.

Founded in the fifteenth century, in the seventeenth century it is called "Our Lady of Coulet" (from the old Provençal: hill). The White Penitents officiated there. This brotherhood was assisting the needy in the village. During the revolutionary period, the chapel housed the first municipal councils in 1790.

The first mention of the parish church of Grimaud appeared in 1069 in a charter of the cartulary of the abbey of Saint Victor Marseille: Pons, son of Viscount William, exchanged with the monks of Saint-Victor half the lordship of Grimaud located in the castle against Freinet Vidauban. However, the location and architecture of the early church remain undetermined. The church as it is offered to us today dates from the second age Provencal Romanesque (late twelfth - early thirteenth century). The shell granite and limestone elements (cornices, arches and arched door) are paired with care. Its construction required a significant mobilization of men and beasts for transport of materials, substantial financial resources and a large technical expertise. This makes it a remarkable building for the time, there is no equivalent in the Freinet, a relatively poor country where cultural premises were modest construction. Inside, the decor (nineteenth century) represents St. Michael slaying a dragon surrounded by St. Peter and St. Bartholomew (rather than St. Paul whose worship is rare in Provence). Previously, the walls were covered with ocher-colored plaster and perhaps completely decorated with a painted decoration as we can still see some remains.

This large medieval ruin is a listed monument. The foundation of the castle seems to go back to the beginning of the eleventh century since 1058, the site is mentioned in a deed of gift to the abbey of St. Victor of Marseille. Construction of buildings that have survived seem to stagger between the thirteenth and seventeenth century by which time it was dismantled on royal order. During the Revolution the City Council demolished what was left.

Chapel St Roch (eighteenth century): Saint Roch is mentioned as protection from contagious diseases including the plague. Inside, are the paintings of the saint's life from 1937 and medieval altar stone basalt.

This mill, formerly called "Moulin de la Gardiole" is known since the seventeenth century. It seems to have worked sporadically. In the nineteenth century it belonged to the Aumeran family, then in 1886 the parish priest of Grimaud: Giraud Zechariah. It now belongs to the municipality. In the 1990s, the cross located on the tower was moved, the wings, the roof and the whole mechanism were recreated to revive this monument.

La Maison des Arcades est discrète au coeur du vieux village de Grimaud, mais qui est vue par tous les visiteurs... En effet, derrière la rue des Templiers se cache la Maison des Arcades ! Pour y accéder, prenez la rue du Baladou comme si vous souhaitiez aller au château puis prenez sous le premier porche à gauche, vous accéderez alors à cet endroit particulier. Un endroit magnifique, un escalier qui nous ferait presque penser à Anastasia... Lieu idéal pour accueillir des expositions tout au long de l'année. Renseignez-vous au 04 94 55 57 34 pour connaître les horaires d'ouverture.