Château de Folleville is a ruined medieval castle. It was built in the late 14th century, dominating the valley of the Noye river, by Jean II de Folleville probably on the site of an earlier castle destroyed in 1358. Archaeological excavations gave evidence of a Roman camp at this site.
During the Hundred Years War, Folleville Castle was sieged several times. In 1440 it succumbed to the artillery of the famous English captain Talbot. It was taken and partially dismantled by the Burgundians to end incursions in the region by the English. It was not until 1478 that work was undertaken to repair the castle. A wing, now lost, was then added.
In 1777 the stones of Folleville Castle were used to built another castle in Mailly-Raineval by the Count de Mailly, husband of Marie Michèle de Séricourt. Twenty years later, during the French Revolution, this new castle was damaged and again stones were taken from Folleville Castle for repairs.
The adjacent church houses the striking tombs of the Lords of Folleville in Carrara marble, an example of the Italian Renaissance having spread as far as Picardy.
References:Sigmaringen Castle was first mentioned in the year 1077 in the chronicles of Petershausen monastery. The oldest parts of the castle are concealed beneath the alterations made during the 17th and the 19th centuries. The secret of the earliest settlement built on this defendable rock will never be fully revealed: large-scale excavation work would be necessary, which the extensive land development renders impossible. Judging from the many Roman remains unearthed in the area around Sigmaringen, the 12th century keep known as the 'Roman Tower' could be traced back to a Roman predecessor.
The castle remains that have been preserved (gate, great hall and keep) date back to the Staufer period around 1200. The castle remains were integrated into subsequent buildings. The foundations of the castle buildings are to a large extent identical to the surrounding castle wall.
These remains give us a good idea of how the castle might have looked during the 12th century.