A must-see
article | Reading time5 min
Castelnau-Bretenoux has all the hallmarks of a medieval fortified castle. Let's take a tour to discover them...
A dominant position
The walls and towers of Castelnau, perched atop a rocky spur 204 meters above sea level, dominate the surrounding countryside. A strategic position and tall buildings needed to observe the approach of assailants... and to discourage even the fiercest of them!
© Pascal Lemaître - Centre des monuments nationaux
Defensive architecture
During the medieval wars, particularly the Hundred Years' War, the castle was considered an impregnable site, but was never really attacked!
Over the centuries, it was equipped with a highly dissuasive defensive system: the 13th-century keep , then the 14th-century entrance châtelet , were joined by the impressive 14-meter-diameter artillery tower, ditches, and later still, firing chambers, gunboat bastions and external defensive lines...
© Pascal Lemaître - Centre des monuments nationaux
The keep: a symbol of lordly power
The massive square-shaped keep built in the 13th century played an important role not only in defense, but also in prestige. Thirty meters high, it is the highest point on the site! This "master tower" asserts the lord's power and, of course, theseniority of the Castelnaulineage...
Very high, but also very narrow: this tower was obviously symbolic, not habitable.
© Pascal Lemaître - Centre des monuments nationaux
Castle and castral town: two inseparable elements!
As you approach the castle, take a look at the dwellings and old stalls that surround it... Very early on, in the 14th century, a charter closely linked the life and interests of the village to those of the castle: various services had to be provided by the villagers, who in return were guaranteed protection in the event of insecurity! Protection that had to be paid for in return, as evidenced by the communal oven, where everyone was obliged to bake their own bread...
The whole complex was protected by a final enclosure. A few remains, including a fortified gate, show the extent to which the village was under the baron's protection.
© Pascal Lemaître - Centre des monuments nationaux
