Tour Mélusine

The Tour Mélusine is the keep of a former castle in the commune of Vouvant. This keep and watchtower, built at the end of the 12th century or the beginning of the 13th century, is the only vestige of the ancient castle of the Lords of Lusignan built in the present location. This castle was separated from the fortified town of Vouvant by a moat. A chapel, long gone, was leaning against the tower.

This tower, 45 m high from the ditch and with its cylindrical shape, is original from that time. Indeed, the majority of the castles of this region and of this time are of the 'Niortais' style (a square tower with round towers at each corner).

The keep has a square base, which indicates the height of the curtain wall that surrounded the courtyard of the castle, which is today the Place du Bail ('bail' meaning 'fortified enclosure').

Address
Place du Bail 85120, Vouvant, France

Established
c. 1242