Tiffauges
Tiffauges castle was
founded in the eleventh century by the lords of Thouars.
It became a principal residence of Gilles Retz, known as
Bluebeard. After an auspicious start to his career as a
highly regarded soldier and fighting companion of Joan of Arc,
Bluebeard later turned to extravagant and financially ruinous displays
within the castle. He also allegedly abandoned his religion
and turned to magic, sorcery, alchemy and child murder, before being
executed at the age of 36. Much of this alleged skulldugery
went on at Champtoce
castle.
Tiffauges was dismantled in the seventeenth century.
Description
The fortress started as a hall block standing towards the southern
entrance to the castle. This was later raised into a keep 60'
square, dominating the adjacent gatetower. Similar hall to
keep transformations happened at Loches,
Montrichard, Beaugency, Montbazon and Chauvigny.
The enceinte consisted of a massive enclosure with a variety of at
least 14 differently shaped and sized towers and turrets. In
the twelfth century a chapel with an apse was added east of the keep as
well as a barbican.
Why not join me here and at other French
castles? Information on this and other tours can be found at Scholarly
Sojourns.
Copyright©2019
Paul Martin Remfry