Almourol

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Shortened history of the castle:

The site has been occupied since the antiquity and it is certain that in 1129, when Portuguese troops conquered the land, the castle already existed and was called Almorolan.

The site was given to the Knights Templar, who built a settlement between the Mondego and the Tagus rivers. At the time, they were responsible for the defence of the capital which was, at that time, Coimbra.

The final construction ended in 1171 and reveals a perfect quadrangular disposal of the spaces. The high walls are protected by nine circular towers, with a jail-tower at the center of the structure.

After the Order of the Knights Templar was eradicated in 1307, and the Portuguese reconquista ended, there was no longer any need for the stronghold, and the Almourol Castle was abandoned and forgotten.

On the 16th of June 1910, by Royal Edit, the castle was classified as a national monument and, a few decades later it was adapted to be an Official Residence of the Portuguese Republic.

Opening times and additional information:

The castle and the tiny fluvial island may be visited without charge. Visitors only pay for an inexpensive boat trip across the river, which is the only way for visitors to reach the castle.

Leeds

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Shortened history of the castle:

Built in 1119 by Robert de Crevecoeur to replace the earlier Saxon manor of Esledes, the castle became a royal palace in 1278 for King Edward I of England and his queen, Eleanor of Castile.

Richard II's first wife, Anne of Bohemia, spent the winter of 1381 at the castle on her way to be married to the king.

Henry VIII transformed the castle for his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, and a painting commemorating his meeting with Francis I of France still hangs there.

The castle escaped destruction during the English Civil War because its owners, the Culpeper family, sided with the Parliamentarians.

Opening times and additional information:

Rates :
Adults - £17.50
Senior Citizens (over 60yrs), Students & Visitors with Disabilities - £15.00
Children (4-15yrs) - £10.00
All children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Opening Times : Open all year round.
Closed to day visitors on 6th and 7th November and Christmas Day 2010.
Open: 10am daily Last ticket sold (last entry): 3pm.
Gates close at 5pm.

Salses

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In 1497, Ferdinand V of Spain wants to lock the narrow passage between the foothills of the Corbières and ponds that were impassable at the time and that was the only route from the Aragonese region to the north (France).

In 1538, the fortress was finaly completed and was honored to receive the visit of Charles V himself.

During the following century it had to endure numerous attacks but properly carried out its role of defending North borders.

But on July 20th, 1639, after 40 days of resistance, the fortress falls into the hands of those who were called at the time "the best regiments of the Kingdom of France" under the command of Henry II of Bourbon.

But only a few weeks after the French troops had invaded the foretress, they were besieged on the 1st of September 1639. During months and months, French regiments confined in the fortress opposed a stubborn resistance to the Spanish troops seeking to recover their property. The French troops, starving to death, decided to surrender in January 1640.

From that time, the fortress was about to disappear several times but was destruction was finnaly abandonned, at each time, and this is why it remains today in perfect shape.

Opening times and additionnal information :

June 1 to September 30: 9:30 am to 19h
October 1 to May 31: 10am to 12.15pm and 14h-17h
Last visit 1 hour before closing the site

Closed
1 January, 1 May, 1 and November 11, December 25

Contact booking groups:
resa.salses @ monuments-nationaux.fr

Full price: 7 €
Price: 4,50 €
Group of adults: 5,50 € (from 20 persons)
School groups: 30 € (35 people maximum, 20 € for PTA)

Free:
Under 18 (accompanied by an adult)
18-25 (nationals of 27 countries of the European Union and non-European residents regularly on French territory)
Disabled person and their companion
Jobseeker

Blandy les Tours

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The area of Blandy-les-Tours is occupied since the sixth century but the existence of the first military camp brings us to the early thirteenth century, in 1216, with the Viscount of Melun. It is a simple manor irregular enclosure, with a chapel inside, entirely made out of stone. During this century, important works of fortification are driven, more particularly the building of three main towers in addition to the tower door.

The fourteenth century was marked by an important development of the castle's defenses. A ditch is dug. A new tower-door with drawbridge arrows, is pierced in the wall. In the second half of the century Blandy became a model castle. The tower height of about 39 meters, defended by two drawbridges, is built.

Between the fifteenth and the XVIIth centuries, the castle lost its military functions and became a residential castle.

In 1707, Marshal Villars, owner of Vaux-le-Vicomte, bought the land and the castle of Blandy. He decided to dismantle it and turns it into a farm. The roofs are removed from the towers and gradually, the castle disappears.

Since 1992, a development program is taking place and allows visitors to see how the real castle was during the 14th century.

Opening times and additional information:

The castle is open every day except Tuesday:
- 1 April to 31 October 10am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 6pm
- November 1 to March 31 from 10am to 12.30pm and from 1.30pm to 5pm

The castle is closed on December 25, 1 January and 1 May

Rates : Full price 6€ - reduced 4€ - to 18 free

Carcassonne

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Beautifully maintained, the city of Carcassonne is primarily known as a fortified medieval town, but this rocky outcrop has been occupied by man since the sixth century BC, first as a Gallic settlement, then a Roman town with ramparts from the III - IV century AD (Gallo-Roman towers still visible).

On the west side of this primitive fortification rests the castle built in the XIIth century by the Viscounts Trencavel. In the early thirteenth century, Carcassonne was taken by Simon de Montfort during the Albigensian Crusade, then annexed to the royal domain. The fortification works are continuing throughout the thirteenth century with the construction of the outer wall and the modernization of the inner rampart, making this place a fortress impregnable.

It lost its strategic importance after the signing of the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659. In the second half of the nineteenth century, it is the subject of a huge restoration project led by Eugene Viollet-le-Duc and is listed by the UNESCO list of World Heritage Site since 1997.


Opening times and additional information :

-July and August: from 9 to 19h (everyday)
-April, May, June, September and October: from 9am to 18pm Monday to Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 9h to 13h
-From November to March: from 9am to 18pm Monday to Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 9am to 12pm

14th of July: each year, the Fireworks of Carcassonne which illuminate the castle are seen by more than 200,000 spectators.

Mail : accueil@carcassonne-tourisme.com

Besançon

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Besancon is located in a particularly exceptional position: a loop formed by a meander of the Doubs, closed by a hill.

This natural stronghold is an exceptional strategic position whose importance is noticed by Julius Caesar, when he conquers the city in 58 BC. The Romans built a temple on the hill but today nothing is left. The remains of columns of the temple survived until the seventeenth century and found in the arms of the City.

Fortress, barracks, prison ... the citadel filled these roles over several centuries.

In 1668, Vauban, military engineer of the King Louis 14th, visited the city, and saw all the strengths of this particular position. The engineer chooses to build a fortress, so he draws the plans, the works began in 1680. The whole city, including the clergy, must share the expenses, but the tax suffered is so important that Louis 14th came to ask Vauban if he was building walls out of stone,... or with gold !

Vauban was constantly inspecting the works of the citadel, which required considerable materials, long lead times and the requisitioning of workers available in the city. Thirty years after, in 1711, one of the most powerful fortresses of the time was achieved.

Built to protect the city against enemy attacks, it was besieged several times: by the Austrians in 1814, the Prussians in 1871, and always suffered only minor damage. Since its construction and until 1940, it serves to house french troops (more over the Cadets, elite of the French troops which received instruction in both military and scientific subjects).

During the Revolution, the Empire and the Restoration, numerous opponents are put to jail in the Citadel : Chouan leaders, royal generals, Bonapartist conspirators of all kinds.

From 1941 to 1944, hundreds of resistance fighters are arrested in the region of Besancon and put to jail in the Citadel. On September 7, 1944, fierce fighting during several hours oppose the Americans to the Germans who were entrenched in the front Rescue.


Opening times and additional information :

• Low season:
Until March 27, 2010, from 10h to 17h
• High season:
March 28 to July 3, 2010 inclusive, from 9 am to 18 pm
• Very high season:
4 July to 29 August 2010 inclusive, from 9 am to 19 pm
• High season:
August 30 to October 30, 2010 inclusive, from 9 am to 18 pm
• Low season:
October 31, 2010 included in January 31, 2011, 10 am to 17 pm

ADULT
Full price: 8,20 €
Reduced (student -28 years, the jobseeker, large family accompanying disabled): 6,80 €
Disabled Adults: 6,50 €

CHILD
- 4 years: free
April-May year: 4.60 €
of 6-13 years (adventure Cadet): 6,50 €
of 14-18 years: 6.80 €
Disabled child: Free