Château de la Guyonnière, Beaulieu-Sous-Parthenay, France

Château de la Guyonnière dates back to the 14th century, with later modifications in the 15th and 16th centuries while retaining a distinctive feudal appearance. It forms a quadrilateral with corner towers, one of which houses a dovecote. Access is through a fortified gate.

The gardens, accessible via a drawbridge forming a postern, are surrounded by deep moats and consist of nine medieval-inspired squares. These gardens feature a mix of flowers, vegetables, honey plants, medicinal and aromatic plants, fruits, old roses, shrubs, and fruit trees.

The two-hectare gardens comprise a contemporary garden created in 1987 by landscape architect Alain Richet, respecting medieval spirit. Divided into nine themed enclosures beyond the castle's moats, it sits on the site of the 14th-century 'ouche,' forming an island surrounded by deep moats fed by springs. To access it, visitors cross the moats via a functional pedestrian drawbridge from a passage between the castle and its stables.

Sigmaringen Castle

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.

Mayeul Rocky (5 months ago)
@sylvianhusson, this is the principle of private priority The squire's son; lord of la guyonniere and la jartelle nevertheless makes it very easy to visit his room….

sylvain Husson (5 months ago)
beautiful castle, not open to the public. impossible to go around from the outside. impossible to see the garden...

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Sigmaringen Castle