Château de Gicon

The ruins of Château de Gicon stand on the ancient Oppidum overlooking the village of Chusclan. From the top of its wooded plateau, the castle's keep dominates the Rhône and its valley.
Overlooking the village, the chateau de Gicon is a medieval fortress built upon the vestiges of a Celtic oppidum. Apart from its strategic position, this platform enabled the surveillance of the ‘Vallée du Rhône’, and the communication with other important sites in the area: Sabran, the “Camp de César” in Laudun, the “Castellas” in Saint-Victor La Coste… Some excavations and clearings made possible the discovery of an interior “calade” (cobbled street) and a Roman tombstone from the 2nd century. The story says that Saint Louis had taken the path from the Rhône to the small fort at the entrance of the site. Therefore, most of the buildings have been built in the Middle Ages, as proven by the donjon, whose construction was between 1200 and 1260. As for the Sainte-Madeleine chapel, located at the foot of the site, it is still used as a place of pilgrimage. Today, it is one of the most appreciated places for hikers, and it’s now your turn to discover it!