The Château de Crestet is a castle in the commune of Crestet in the Vaucluse département of France.Ministry of Culture: Château de Crestet
History Construction began between 840 and 850.Le Crestet at crestet.fr It was a summer residence of the Bishops of Vaison-la-Romaine.L Duhamel, "Le cardinal de Brogny", Revue savoisienne, journal of the Association florimontane d'Annecy (1900), page 336. In 1160, Raymond VI, Count of Toulouse, seized the castle at Vaison and drove out the bishops who came to the castle at Crestet. In 1189, Raymond VI also seized Crestet.
During the 14th century, the castle was remodelled as evidence of Gothic architecture are still visible. During the French Revolution, the castle was sacked and much of its furniture burned. Abandoned, the castle was used as a quarry by local people. During World War II, (at the end of 1943, beginning of 1944), a German unit of about twenty men occupied the castle and surrounded it with barbed wire. They slept in houses in the village.
Restoration In 1979, the noted French architect, Roger Anger (1923 – 2008), designer of the city of Auroville in IndiaRoger Anger - A Tribute by Kireet Joshi, Auroville web site acquired the castle and in 1985 undertook its consolidation and restoration"A secret village with all the charm of the Vaucluse", Avignon & Provence.com on which he worked until his death.Roger Anger, PSS.archi.eu
See also List of castles in France
References