Atop a rocky outcrop stands La Nerthe a hamlet steeped in history. Its story unfolds before us a tapestry woven from medieval times to the modern era. La Nerthe nestled in a small basin boasts a rich past. Medieval dwellings once thrived here their remnants visible even today.
The 1819 cadastre reveals a hamlet clinging to the rock face. Partially ruined structures remain hinting at a fortified castle. Towers once stood tall visible well into the 20th century. The cadastre also notes a separate Chateau de la Nerthe outside the main settlement. This Chateau de la Nerthe belonged to Francois Jennson or perhaps Francois de Janson in 1827. It appears on a 1933 map already in ruins locally known as the Chateau de l’Air.
The arrival of the railway transformed La Nerthe. In 1847 the construction of the Avignon-Marseille line spurred a building boom. Paulin Talabot built a substantial house and workshop. Varin d’Ainvelle erected a lime kiln. Jean Martin added a house and lime kilns. These structures supported the ambitious Nerthe tunnel project.
Modest dwellings called cabanons appeared later in the 19th century possibly built by transport contractors. By 1875 only five or six houses remained inhabited from the original hamlet. An 1886 census shows eight houses around 100 people including cart drivers shepherds and farmers. More cabanons perhaps for holidaymakers came in the interwar years. A blockhouse and walls possibly anti-tank defenses emerged during World War II. Many buildings have been renovated in recent years. Many now belong to Societe Coloniale des chaux et ciments Portland now Lafarge. They acquired the land in the early 20th century.
A small chapel and four humble houses still dot the landscape. Their facades are lined with mulberry trees. A portal bears inscriptions “Societe Coloniale” and “Jardins” It leads to extensive limestone quarries. La Nerthe’s history echoes in its stones a testament to its resilience and transformation over centuries. The ruins of the square-shaped Chateau de la Nerthe sit on a nearby knoll. It hints at a once modest dwelling. La Nerthe lacks urban amenities and shops. Yet it maintains a unique charm a whisper of its past.