Château de Vissec

Château de Vissec is located in the commune of the same name in the Gard department, 25 km southwest of Le Vigan. Located upstream from the cirque de Navacelles and at the crossroads of the Larzac, Campestre and Blandas limestone plateaus, the site was first mentioned in the 10th century.
A defensive castle is attested in the 13th century. The local lords were powerful, and the land became a barony. During the Wars of Religion, part of the seigneury remained faithful to Catholicism, while Christophe de Montfaucon, Baron de Vissec, rallied to Calvinism. In 1628, the Duke of Rohan ordered the castle razed to the ground. The ramparts were demolished, but it was not until 1656 that the main elements of the medieval edifice were actually destroyed. The de Montfaucon family soon had a more residential château rebuilt on part of the previous foundations. Vaulted ceilings have been preserved (kitchen, stables), as have features such as doors and an Italian staircase. As a result, today's château presents a contrasting appearance.
On the main floor, in what was once the guards' quarters, there is a large Gothic-style stucco fireplace (above the former kitchen), French ceilings and traces of wall paintings and inscriptions. The rectangular portal is highlighted by mouldings simulating capitals. The interior structure remains unchanged. On the first floor, the salon retains historiated panels (landscapes with church, boat, house) separated by garlands of fruit. However, the layout of the rooms has been revised. Both the present building and the ruins of its predecessor, the Castellas, are protected historic monuments.