The human presence on the territory of the municipality of Castellar in the Alpes-Maritimes department dates back to the early Neolithic. It is attested by excavations carried out at Pendimoun shelter, at the foot of Roc d'Orméa. A first village, castrum Castellari, was mentioned in the 13th century. It was implanted at an altitude of 2,559 ft (851 m) on a rocky outcrop located to the northeast of the municipal territory, near the valley of Rau de Mezzo. Its ruins bear witness to the existence of ramparts surmounted by a keep housing the lords. The current village of Castellar was established in 1435 on top of the more accessible Saint-Sébastien hill.