The golden goat
The “Chèvre d’Or” building, a historical monument since 1943, dates to the period when the Romans lived in the area around Biot. A vestige of the Gallo-Roman civilisation, this mausoleum owes its name to an ancient legend. Can you unravel the mystery that surrounds the tomb of the Golden Goat?
THE TOWER
The Tower of the Golden Goat is a Roman funerary monument located on the Brague Plain, along the old road to Clausonnes linking Biot to Vallauris. On a hill 700 metres southwest of the village, it probably dates to the first centuries AD.The tomb was designated a historical monument on 2 September 1943. It’s a brickwork construction, with an empty rectangular cavity running through it. Holes for scaffolding can be seen on four rows. The tower is nearly ten metres tall, but a study of the structure indicates that it was once even taller.It was probably a mausoleum. Nearby, tombs and urns have been unearthed that contain objects from the Gallo-Roman period. However, no inscription can shed light on the mystery of its purpose.
The name refers to a legend that has captured the imagination of Provence for centuries. A legend with a goat, of course, but more importantly a fabulous treasure.
THE LEGEND
The golden goat is a widespread legend in Europe, found from Spain to Belgium. But it’s in Provence that the legend is most well-known. At the end of the Middle Ages, the inhabitants were terrified of the Saracens that controlled the region and accumulated treasures from pillaging.
The story begins when the Moors hid one of their treasures, promised to come back and retrieve it, but never did. The only witness to know the secret hiding spot of the treasure was a goat, who became the guardian of the buried riches. Since then, dozens of treasure hunters have tried to find it, but the goat uses his beautiful golden coat to lure them underground into traps, where terrible dragons await to devour them. Thus, the treasure has never been found.
The fabulous creature, whose horns and hooves are also made of gold, can only be seen by man at night, when the temptation for riches is strong. The myth of the golden goat became famous in the 19th century, and many places in Provence are named after it. The mystery that surrounds the mausoleum in Biot surely contributed to its connection to this well-known legend.