FRENCH

Saint Michel The « Wonder of the Western World » forms a tower in the heart of an immense bay invaded by the highest tides in Europe. It was at the request of the Archangel Michel « chief of the celestial militia » that Aubert, Bishop of Avranches built and consecrated a small church on the 16th October 709. In 966 a community of Benedictines settled on the rock at the request of the Duke of Normandy and the pre-Romanesque church was built before the year one thousand. In the 11th century, the Romanesque abbey church was founded over a set of crypts where the rock comes to an apex, and the first monastery buildings were built up against its north wall.…

The castle of saumur stands on the Loire river itself, at the junction with the Thouet river. It is built withthe famous Loire white stone called tuffeau. We know nothing about the original castle, except it is noted in a 968 text. The count of Anjou, Foulques Nerra takes the castle in 1026. It will remain in the Plantagenets possessions untill 1202 when Philippe II of France seizes all continental possessions os King John of England. By that time, it is a XII century castle, including a major central tower of 19 meters per 17 meters, with 3 meters thick walls (today disapeared) surronded by a square wall and 4 round towers. In 1351, the king John II of France giv…

THe castle of Suscinio used to be the dukes of Britain summer home , on the peninsula of Rhuys. Its exceptionnal situation, by the south britain coast, on the warm waters of the atlantic ocean (into the Gulf of Britain) allows the moat to be filled with sea water at very high tides. On the other side of the castle, the land consists on swamps (marshlands ?) and forests, both being great for hunting. A view of marshlands from the castle wall The castle was probably built by Peter of Dreux, during the XIII th century. It was originally a hunting manor. But it was transformed into a war fortress during the succession war (1341 - 1364) which took place during t…

This is castle of Peyrepertuse. (Peyrepertuse from the valley) It belongs to a chain of castles, built as "eagle nests", all along the peaks of Pyrennées, most of them as defence against the kings of spain (as the frontier between france & spain was much northern than now before 1659 and the Pyrennées treaty). They are mistakely called "catharian castles" as they are on the lands where the cathar heresy did rise. Most of them are much older though, and had no part in the history of the catharism (but Montsegur). Most of them happened to be royal fortresses guarding the frontier with spain. (Low castle from Stairs Saint Louis) Peyrepertuse probably is the …

Not much to say about this one. It was built around XI century (i believe) and modified since XIV century. Actually this one is just within 15 minutes from home, but it was closed to visit the two last time wi went there. Thus i couldn't get either pics from the inside, nor infos about the castle (like plans and history) in the museum inside. SO.... you'll have to wait with these ouside photographs ! so this is the main door, a two tower chatelet and a view of the dungeon The surrounding wall - entrance side and backside the west postern (there is another south, but it's sealed and difficult to photograph) For more infos : http://www.casteland.com/pfr/c…

This castle and chateau joins together 4 parts of different periods, illustrating 4 major styles in French castle architecture. 3 different styles. Left to right: aisle François I, states general room, aisle Louis XII It also is famous in history (and literature) to be the place where king Henri III murdered Duke Henri de Guise and arrested his two brothers, thus destroying the catholic Holy League that threatened his throne, and opening the way to his legal successor, his cousin Henri king of Navarre (then known as Henri IV). the royal appartments (where murder occured) from the gardens outside The castle of Blois was built in the early Xth century by the counts …

This castle was built from nothing in 1519 by the king François 1er. The legend says it has been designed by the king’s friend Leonardo da Vinci. As a matter of fact, only the famous double spiral staircase can be certified by the Italian genius. It's a masterpiece of art, having one staircase, with two stairways going around a central tube, lighten by daylight or a lantern thus providing a perpetual light to the stairs. The castle plan is very similar to a medieval fortress, with a square wall defended by round towers and a central dungeon. The difference lies in the very number of windows, chimneys and gables. Majestic and impressive, the castle was to desi…

Montségur stands on a rocky « pog » 1207 meters high (about 3620 feet) . The only way to reach the castle is a one hour walk on a steeply lane. The view while up there is worth climbing though. Montsegur taken from the road below The site shows archaeological signs of occupation as soon as Neolithic period. It was obviously occupied during the Roman Empire too. Anyhow, prior to 1204, nothing much is known about the site, except there was a castle or a castrum (fortified village) up there at this time. In 1204 anyhow, it was rebuilt by Raymond de Pereire and Pierre de Mirepoix, to become a shelter for the persecuted Cathars. After the defeat and submission of the coun…

The castle of Tonquedec stands in northern Brittany, on a rocky headland in the middle of the woods, near by a lake in an enchanting environment. The inner yard, from the dungeon A first caste was built probably during the middle of XII th century. During the Britain succession war, the vicomte (viscount) of Tonquedec was part of the Penthièvre family (supported by the king of France) which was defeated by the Monfort family (supported by the kings of England). The castle was then completely destroyed by the end of war by John IV of Monfort in 1395, as a punishment. John IV dies in 1399, and his son John V gets closer to the king of France, and supports him in his …

This castle stands in Britany, on the North coast, facing England, on the cliffs in the middle of wild lands. The site was originally occupied as early as 937, by a fort, destined to stop Vikings. THe actual castle was raised during the XIII th century, and the dungeon finally achieved in the XIVth. Sight of 1st enclosure viewed from the 2nd Partially destroyed during the religion wars (XVIth century), it was restored by the king's great architect Vauban during the XVII th century, and modified to accept Guns, pointed to the ground and to the sea. A big gun pointed to the english ships is still visible a the dungeon feet. First wall, and entrance of the second f…