Today isolated, Châteaufort was, until the 19th century, situated on the roads used for livestock drives on foot leading from the Durance valley to the high summer grazing lands (mountain pastures).
In the Middle Ages, around the 11th century, the ruling Lords of Châteaufort boldly built their castle on the hillside outcrop to the south-east of the current village. It dominated the Sasse valley, opposite the tower of Nibles. At that time, there were two communities, Châteaufort and Castelet d'Entraix, which were later united. There were therefore also two religious establishments. In Entraix, a priory dedicated to Our Lady of Bethlehem belonging to the great Burgundian Abbey of Cluny. No material trace of this has survived for a long time. The site of Entraix itself has been uninhabited since the 1930s.
The first church of Châteaufort was dedicated to Saint James, which testifies to the location of the village on the route leading the inhabitants of the valley towards the great Pilgrimage Route of Santiago de Compostela which passes through the Durance valley, meeting up with the ancient route of Via Domitia between Italy and Spain.
The present church, more recent (17th century), is dedicated to its patron saint, Saint Laurent, and preserves some religious relics.