Sold as very national in the Revolution, the castle de Portes will become alternately a prison, a factory, treating(handling) the ore, then the farm, before undergoing a last fatal assault, with the industrial revolution, requiring an extensive exploitation of the coal contained in its basement.

It(he) was still lived in 1929. From Moyen-Age, a fortress raises itself in the collar of "Portes", passage was obliged by the crossing of Cevennes by Régordane's road.

Of this time, dates the quadrangular, cantoned surrounding wall of towers, and lined on two sides by former seigneurial lodging houses, enlarged among the XII-th and the XV-th century.

On both other sides, the high bulwarks closing the yard, carry(wear) two levels of covered way superimposed arches. The set(group) will be strengthened during the One hundred years war and completely reshaped at the beginning of the religious wars.

The outcome will be the construction of the main building(ship) of the castle of Doors, a spectacular "tower bastion" raised(brought up) towards 1580 by Jacques de Budos in the angle overhanging the ancient(former) road in the direction of ' Alès . Of an unique(only) conception in France, the building combines(organizes) the plan losangé by a bastion of artillery and that of a princely résistence on four levels. The base is a spur of massive will, slightly taluté, the point of which forms a lively fish bone which advances(moves) as the obstacle of a vessel.
In the summit, a platform of observation in 32 metres of rise, dominates all the constructions, offering a circular sight on the surrounding valleys, the Mont Lozère in the alésienne plain and up to the Mont Ventoux.

This text is an extract of the advertising plaque of the castle of Door available with Génolhac's office where you can also inquire.

Credit text and photo: advertising Plaque " Castle of Doors "