Activities > Castle visit
Castle visit
Guided tours from July 6th to August 28th. Weekdays from 14h to 18h, Sundays from 16h to 18h30 - Closed on Saturday
In June and September, Sundays from 16h to 18h30.
Free visit of the gardens On reservation all the year for the groups
> Online booking
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Architecture and history
At the 11th century, the castle only had small windows as openings.
Broader windows were bored at the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century, when the fortress was transformed into a stately home. The large windows, were bored at the beginning of 20th.
Moreover, at the 11th century, the roofs were covered with stone slabs.
During the 15th century, the defenses of the castle had been removed, and the roofs, pointed like the dungeon, were covered with tiles.
At the Revolution, the revolutionists tried to set the castle on fire to burn it entirely. Fortunately, the attic was covered with floor tiles which prevented fire from being propagated.
The roofs were then rebuilt but the cost of rebuilding did not make it possible to rebuild them all in pepper plantation (only the keep was rebuilt identically).
At the 16th century, the owners wishing to have an opening on the ditches, destroyed the building which was in front of the castle Western frontage and, with recovery stones, built the hexagonal tower which decorates this frontage.
This tower was built to open an entry of full foot (before the 16th century, the owners had to return by the cellars, to go up to the ground floor by a staircase dug in the stone, reached the first and the second floors by scales which they hoisted after their passage, which was a safety prevention in case of attack).
It also made it possible to reach on the floors thanks to the staircase volutes builds out Volvic stone. This staircase, very particular, does not have a central pillar; it was built at the same time as the tower and each walk is enchased in the walls (only a pillar being in the cellars can support the staircase).
At same time, openings were bored on the frontage. At the beginning, the windows had mullions but, in 1793, when it was necessary to pay the tax on the openings, those were removed to pay only one tax instead of 4... and the openings of windows were also stopped !
The right part of the castle was built in 1766; it contains the large dining room with the 23 chairs (a lady of RIBEROLLES having had 23 children, each one of them had its chair with a different pattern) and the great kitchen.
Above entry the door, we one can see the armorial bearings of the "COMPTOURS d'APCHON", cut in the Volvic stone. They had been unobtrusive with the Revolution but the RIBEROLLES, by recognition, made them reproduce.
They represent 3 ram heads with a helmet.
The Northern frontage is the one which preserved the aspect of castle the most. We can see the entry of the 11th century with a loophole on each side.
The ditches have a depth from 2,80 to 3,50 meters.
They are fed by a brook and drains (so we could always have water during wars). Originally, there was neither plug, nor valve to empty them.
The castle passed to the RIBEROLLES family in 1742 and her progeny is still the actual owner.
Mr Arnaud de CADIER de VEAUCE and his wife are the current owner. |
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Virtual visit
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