IMAGES © SHUTTERSTOCK, FOTOLIA, BENJAMIN BROLET


CHÂTEAUX 2021 THE GUIDE


Clockwise from this image: Château de Fougères is one of Europe’s largest medieval fortresses; the elegant 15th-century Domaine des Bidaudières; Château de Verrières is a five-star hotel; Château du Haut-Kœnigsbourg stands mighty in the Vosges mountains; Château d’Ainay-le-Vieil dates back to the 13th century


double-helix staircase (believed to be the work of Leonardo da Vinci, who lived nearby) certainly will. This leads to a glorious rooftop terrace adorned with domes, towers, cupolas, chimneys and mosaic roofs. www.chambord.org


Château du Haut- Kœnigsbourg (Bas-Rhin)


Perched on a forested promontory in the Vosges mountains and constructed from bright red sandstone, this Alsatian château stands out for miles around. Although no one is sure when it was first built, it’s certain the vast structure was an important outpost during the Middle Ages. By the


1600s it had been abandoned and wasn’t rebuilt until the German Kaiser Wilhelm II took an interest at the beginning of the 20th century. Over the years many film directors have been inspired by the castle, including Jean Renoir (for La Grande Illusion) and Peter Jackson (for The Lord of the Rings). Today it is a major tourist attraction, luring in half a million visitors a year. It was due to reopen on May 19. www.haut-koenigsbourg.fr/en


Château de Brézé (Maine-et-Loire)


The most intriguing aspect of this château in the Loire Valley is its labyrinthine complex of underground tunnels, cellars


“IT HAD BEEN ABANDONED AND WASN’T REBUILT UNTIL THE GERMAN KAISER WILHELM II TOOK AN INTEREST”


and caverns. “A whole château beneath a château,” is how the owners describe it. “The fortress of Brézé is a voyage into the bowels of the Earth and through time to a history long forgotten.” Visitors can take a subterranean tour, viewing the fine wines stored deep down. Back at ground level there are drawbridges and dry moats. www.chateaudebreze.com


Château de Fougères (Ille-et-Vilaine)


A thousand years of history are


waiting to be discovered at this medieval fortress in Brittany, which is one of Europe’s largest. Naturally protected by a marsh and the River Nançon, it features a dozen impressive towers, as well as inner courtyards and gardens, all encircled by ramparts. Just perfect for holding out when under siege by the invading English. For modern visitors it’s an intriguing glimpse into what life was really like in the Middle Ages. chateau-fougeres.com/fr ❯❯


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