A place full of history

The influence of the templars on the cengle plateau

A Roman villa, the remains of a Templar farm and the presence of agricultural activities (vines and cereals), attest to the interest that men have had in this land for a long time. In the same way, the first traces of olive tree cultivation go back to the Gallo-Roman period.

The Templars founded one of the first commanderies of the Provence order on the plateau. They drained the wettest lands, thus considerably increasing the cultivable area.

The origin of the name “les masques“

Which inhabitant of the Aix region and its surroundings has never heard of the masks?

Lei masquos, the witches, as they were called in Provencal. No one believes in them today, yet the belief in their existence was tenacious in the past and lasted until the beginning of the 20th century. Often feared and proscribed for their evil spells, they were also approached by the “good people” for their knowledge and medicinal practices.

The story goes that, because of the diversity and richness of its flora, the Cengle plateau attracted many of these healers in search of rare plants and in particular a medicinal poppy, necessary for the fabrication of their remedies.

This place will keep the imprint of these characters until its name, “the Masks”, given hundreds of years ago by the local people.

A mythical place full of Provencal stories and legends, which saw the birth of our domain.