Hambach Castle was originally built in 1280 by Walram von Jülich, but it was burned down due gunpowder explosion in 1512. It was restored as a Renaissance style hunting palace in 1558-1565. The castle was confiscated by French army in 1794 and they torn down the northern tower. The castle was also damaged during the Second World War. Today it is in residential use.
The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.