Castelnaud-la-Chapelle

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Shortened history of the castle:

Founded in the twelfth century, its location was chosen knowingly on a hill. The castle dominates Castelnaud, the Dordogne valley and faces his rival, the castle of Beynac.

In the early thirteenth century, the Cathars spread widely in the Southwest of France, including Castelnaud. The Catharism is a reaction to the abuses of the Catholic Church and its wealth (hence its success among the poorest), and has therefore rejected the sacraments Roman.

Thus Pope Innocent III became mad about the Cathars and ordered the crusades (the "Albigensian") in 1209. Simon de Montfort is entrusted as leader of operations: in 1214, he took Castelnaud and submits it to the King of France.

In 1259, the Treaty of Paris ends the ongoing conflict between French and English armies and assigns, with Aquitaine, Castelnaud to Henry III King of England.

With the Hundred Years War, the clashes are often and Castelnaud is taken five times by France, and taken immediately back by the English. The English were finaly defeated in 1442, thrown out of Castelnaud and out of France eleven years later, after the battle of Castillon.

Castelnaud is then enlarged, with various works of fortifications, including the big artillery tower of 1520. However, Castelnaud will never be attacked again, even during the wars of religion.

Restored in 1966, the castle hides now a war museum which includes an impressive amount of weapons of all kinds, a crossbow, culverins and various guns, including the unlikely forefather of a machine gun, swords, spears, armor, chainmail, and siege weapons size like a trebuchet.

Opening times and aditionnal information:

From November 15 until January : 2pm-5pm (except Christmas holiday: 10am-5pm)
February, March and October to 14 November : 10am-6pm
April, May, June and September : 10am-7pm
July, August : 9am-8pm (8.15pm : nocturnal visit)

Fees: Adults - 7.60 Euros, Children (10 to 17 years old) - 3.80 Euros
Free for children under 10.