Ancient and Medieval Origins

Prehistoric and Roman Activity:

Evidence of Neolithic habitation exists, including the Dolmen du Puech. Roman settlers left traces such as a bridge over the Peyne River and a wine press discovered at Mas Pommier in 1985 .

Feudal Era:

The village’s medieval core developed around the Château de Pézènes (11th–12th centuries), a feudal castle perched on a rocky ridge. The castle, listed as a monument historique since 1981, dominated the settlement and its winding alleys.

Charlemagne Legend:

Local tradition claims Emperor Charlemagne prepared for a battle against Saracens here in the 8th century, leaving the area nicknamed the "Field of Meeting".

Despite proudly appending "-les-Mines" (the mines) to its name in 1926 to honor its bauxite industry, the village’s mining boom was so short-lived that today’s residents (all 236 of them 2) might struggle to point you to an active mine. Locals joke that the only "mining" left is digging through attic trunks for old pickaxes—or digging into the town’s petit pâté pastries (a culinary cousin to nearby Pézenas’ treats) 26.

Castle of the Perpetual Renovation

The Château de Pézènes, a feudal ruin listed as a monument historique since 1981, has become a running gag. Its "rocky ridge" perch is so precarious that restoration plans have been "just around the corner" for decades. One photographer dubbed it the "Leaning Tower of Pézènes" after capturing its stubborn tilt in an impressionist shot 6.

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