Château de Ventadour (Ardèche)
Encyclopedia
The Château de Ventadour is a ruined castle
in the commune
of Tournon-sur-Rhône
in the Ardèche
département of France. Situated to the south east of Meyras
, the castle has architectural elements dating from the 11th, 12th, 15th and 16th centuries.
of Fontolière and Ardèche rivers, on a rocky outcrop, at about 373 m altitude
, was described as destroyed. After the Revolution, it was largely used as a stone quarry. A painting by Jules Thibon, Les ruines du château de Ventadour, painted in 1860 and in a private collection, shows its state in the 19th century.
Since 1969, it has been the object of a restoration project by Pierre and Françoise Pottier and a handful of volunteers. Visitors can see a square tower, two pigeon lofts and a fortified gateway.
The castle was restored by the voluntary work organisation, Union REMPART.
castle model, the keep
being attached to the surrounding wall.
According to research works on site and a paper by Georges Grégoire, the oldest part of the castle is the square keep.
The exterior fortification is accessible via a drawbridge
. The square tower in the north east corner comprises vaulted rooms. The square tower in the south east corner is topped by two bartizan
s dating from work carried out in the 14th century.
It has been listed since 1927 as a monument historique
by the French Ministry of Culture, with additional protection in 1938 and 1960.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in the commune
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
of Tournon-sur-Rhône
Tournon-sur-Rhône
Tournon-sur-Rhône is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Geography:It is located on the right bank of the Rhône River, opposite Tain-l'Hermitage, which is located in the Drôme département...
in the Ardèche
Ardèche
Ardèche is a department in south-central France named after the Ardèche River.- History :The area has been inhabited by humans at least since the Upper Paleolithic, as attested by the famous cave paintings at Chauvet Pont d'Arc. The plateau of the Ardeche River has extensive standing stones ,...
département of France. Situated to the south east of Meyras
Meyras
Meyras is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France.-Geography:The river Lignon forms part of the commune's southeastern border, then joins the Ardèche, which flows east through the commune.-Population:...
, the castle has architectural elements dating from the 11th, 12th, 15th and 16th centuries.
Geography
The castle is situated 74 m above the confluenceConfluence
Confluence, in geography, describes the meeting of two or more bodies of water.Confluence may also refer to:* Confluence , a property of term rewriting systems...
of Fontolière and Ardèche rivers, on a rocky outcrop, at about 373 m altitude
History
The castle was built in the 12th century when the fief of Meyras belonged to the Solignacs. In 1195, the lord of Montlaur married Miracle de Solignac and her brother, Béraud de Solignac, relinquished to them the fief. The Solignacs left at the end of the 14th century, and in 1472 the lord of Meyras married Blanche de Ventadour. The castle was not inhabited again and, at the time of the French RevolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, was described as destroyed. After the Revolution, it was largely used as a stone quarry. A painting by Jules Thibon, Les ruines du château de Ventadour, painted in 1860 and in a private collection, shows its state in the 19th century.
Since 1969, it has been the object of a restoration project by Pierre and Françoise Pottier and a handful of volunteers. Visitors can see a square tower, two pigeon lofts and a fortified gateway.
The castle was restored by the voluntary work organisation, Union REMPART.
Architecture
The castle plan is based on the typical SavoySavoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
castle model, the keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
being attached to the surrounding wall.
According to research works on site and a paper by Georges Grégoire, the oldest part of the castle is the square keep.
The exterior fortification is accessible via a drawbridge
Drawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
. The square tower in the north east corner comprises vaulted rooms. The square tower in the south east corner is topped by two bartizan
Bartizan
A bartizan or guerite is an overhanging, wall-mounted turret projecting from the walls of medieval fortifications from the early 14th century up to the 16th century. They protect a warder and enable him to see around him...
s dating from work carried out in the 14th century.
It has been listed since 1927 as a monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
by the French Ministry of Culture, with additional protection in 1938 and 1960.
External links
- Tournon-sur-Rhône, Château in Ministry of Culture database
- Ministry of Culture photos