Relics of the past
The city of Draguignan has ancient roots within history, not only for being a Roman settlement, but also for many mythological stories. One such story involves the Chateau du Dragon and Saint Hermentaire, which supposedly killed a dragon near the castle’s premises.
The Chateau du Dragon, 2.5 kilometers west of the city, is set on a rocky promontory above the vineyard of the same name. The castle occupied a strategic position, as the Roman road, still in use at the time, went down. On Roman maps, the site of Draguignan was noted as a resort called "Anteae". On a second promontory nearby, the ruins of an old chapel (Saint-Michel) where a hermit lived can be found. The hermit was in charge of ringing the bell when storms threatened, to warn people of the danger ahead. In the legend of Saint Hermentaire, it was in the current location of the chapel with the same name, where the saint slew the dragon terrorizing the city.