A Curious Tale: The Odd Affair of La Coste and the Marquis de Sade

La Coste, set against the Northern flank of the Little Luberon, offers a captivating view of the valley of the Calavon, Monts de Vaucluse, Mont Ventoux, the Alps, and Bonnieux, its neighbor. Once abandoned and vandalized, this castle, dating back to the 11th century, has an intriguing history that lies at odds with its serene façade. Historians still debate how it came to be owned by the Sade family, but its link to the infamous Marquis de Sade is undeniably intriguing.

In 1627, Diane Simiane, then the owner of La Coste, married Jean-Baptiste de Sade, an ancestor of the notorious figure. Two centuries later, in 1769, the Marquis himself moved into La Coste and constructed a theater capable of seating 120 spectators. It was on a fateful day in 1778 that he fled to Aix, only to return to the castle for 63 days, before being taken back to Vincennes. Renowned for his controversial work, The 120 Days of Sodom, the Marquis de Sade had a peculiar fondness for the castle.The French Revolution spelled its downfall, as the castle's construction materials were sold in 1796.

By 1798, the castle had been taken by Rovère, a deputy of Vaucluse and a native of Bonnieux. Unfortunately, he was deported to French Guiana that same year.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons