Château de L'Échelle, L'Échelle, France

Château de L'Échelle origins are unknown. A first castle at this site was probably founded in the 13th century. In the 15th century a band of Armagnacs, outlawed supporters of Charles, Duke of Orléans, during the Hundred Years' War, settled in L'Echelle Castle and ravaged the area.

In 1594, Antoine de La Marche des Contes became Lord of L'Echelle by his marriage to Anne de Maucourt. Antoine, Governor of Sedan between 1599 and 1640, rebuilt L'Echelle Castle and gave it its present appearance. In 1642 Spanish troops plundered the village and attacked the castle. The castle walls still bear traces of this attack.

In 1730 the castle was acquired by the Chapter of Reims and transformed into a farm. During the French Revolution it was confiscated and sold as Bien Nationaux to a local hatter, Simon Pottier. He ceded the castle to the local community. The castle then became the town hall, a school and lodging for the head teacher.

At present L'Echelle Castle is still property of the village and houses a small local history museum.

References:

castles.nl

User Reviews

annie vaucois (2 years ago)
Small Commune where there is the Ardennes vineyard

Linda Coffart (3 years ago)
Hello, I went there with my children to visit the museum of THE SCHOOL OF YESTERDAY and it has much more to young and old. We didn't have time to visit the castle but still had a look. I'm thinking of going on a little expedition to the castle soon.

Raphael Graziani (3 years ago)
Pretty little village, too bad there is no motorhome parking area because we would have gladly stayed for the night. Very beautiful castle and go see the wash house. The museum should just display the opening hours because we would have liked to do so.

Aymeric Staniewiez (3 years ago)
Superb castle in a pretty little Ardennes village...

Denis Hodister (3 years ago)
It houses the museum of the school of yesterday. Open on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month from May 1

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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.

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