![]() Of course many Chateaus or Palaces like Versailles, Fontainebleau, and many others are well known and definitely worth visiting. ![]() Some of the medieval chateaux are still standing and a few have been privately restored, at great expense, to provide contemporary and luxury accommodation.Īfter 1600 and following dozens of battles fought in many french regions during the middle ages, where fortified castles clearly served their purpose, Castles started to be built to show splendour and wealth. Many of the fortified castles can be found in Dordogne and were built prior and during the 'hunded years wars, but then these huge fortified properties were built literally everywhere of strategic importance in all corners of France. Meters thick walls, small windows, single entrance via drawbridge in a position overlooking the small village at the foot of the valley. To learn more about this community system you can best start at Wikipediaįrench Castles built in this period were functional and very large to accommodate and shelter entire local communities also in case of an outside attack. This type of society was apparent during the period 900AD to around 1500. The communities residing at those chateaux-forts were relatively small and referred to by the name 'Feudal' being an early form of political system around strong leadership that owned the land and where vassals and peasants would work for the community in exchange for certain privileges. Clearly the original fortified castles, the 'château-forts,' in France were built in commanding positions on hill tops above river valleys to defend a region. ![]() The french architecture of all of the castles or chateaux ever built is nothing short of spectacular.
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