Gourdon – Provençal medieval town in a class of its own
The town is one of the smallest on the Côte d’Azur and has just 450 inhabitants. With its authentic charm, it rightly deserves its classification as one of France’s most beautiful villages.
Situated at an altitude of 760 meters, the city has a unique view of the Loup Valley with a panorama that stretches over 80 kilometers of coastline from Nice in the east to Théoule-sur-Mer in the west.
Chateau de Gourdon and the town
The village is built around its medieval castle with its beautiful towers. The castle is now privately owned and closed to the public.
However, the beautiful castle garden can be visited in groups by prior arrangement. Designed by André Le Nôtre, the garden is laid out in terraces with centuries-old boxwoods.
At the foot of the castle, the streets of Gourdon are lined with houses with beautiful Provençal facades and many craft shops with workshops producing local products.
Although the city is quite small, with a single main street and only a few adjacent alleys, it still offers a number of interesting experiences.
See image gallery and link to restaurants at the end of the article.
Place Victoria, located at the end of the main street at the edge of the cliff, is a tribute to the British Queen of the same name who visited the city in 1891. The square offers the most beautiful views of the Loup Valley and the Mediterranean coastline.
The religious heritage is represented by the Romanesque church of Saint-Vincent, which was a chapel from the 12th century and later became a parish church in the early 17th century, as well as the chapels of St. Pons and St. Ambrose.
Worth experiencing
- Chateau de Gourdon and the castle garden
- Saint-Vincent Church
- The washhouse
- Saint-Pons Chapel
- The viewpoint at Place Victoria
- The local craft shops
- Lunch at one of the city’s restaurants
History of the city and castle
Gourdon is both one of the smallest and oldest medieval towns in the region. Its history dates back to the 8th century when it was built as a defense against the Saracens.
The castle, Chateau de Gourdon, was built in the 12th century and then rebuilt in the 17th century into the castle we see today.
Until 1235, the castle was owned by the Counts of Provence, after which it changed hands among noble families until 1918, when an American woman named Miss Mae Noris bought the castle. She turned it into a museum and the castle was open to the public until 2015 when a family from Paris took it over and closed it to the public.
Read a more detailed description of the castle and the history of the city here on Wikipedia.
Image gallery from Gourdon
The washhouse at the entrance to the city
Tourist office at Place Victoria
Small alley in the city
Victoria Square
Perfume shop
Saint-Vincent Church
The city seen from the air
The garden at Chateau de Gourdon
Restaurants & hotels in Gourdon
Eat and stay well during your visit. Find what suits you in the overview below:
Path “Chemin du Paradis
In the old days before modern roads were built, the only access to Gourdon was via the mule track “Chemin du Paradis”, which runs between the town of Bar-sur-Loup and Gourdon.
Legend has it that Bar-sur-Loup once didn’t have its own cemetery and had to transport the dead up the path to Gourdon for burial. The path was then aptly named “Chemin du Paradis”.
Today it’s a beautiful hike between the two cities.
By Tommy Sverre – updated 2025
CityXee recommends these excursions on the Côte d'Azur
Gourdon Hike to Le Haut Montet Caussols – to the civil aviation radar station
Tourrettes-sur-Loup – Medieval atmosphere and the scent of violets in the mountains
Mougins Village
