The Château du Bourbet is steeped in history, dating back to the 15th Century and beyond, from its origins as a Templar fortress to its forced occupation by the German Army and partial demolition at the end of the Second World War. Now lovingly renovated, the Château du Bourbet invites you to enjoy some of the very best in chambres d’hôtes and table d’hôtes that the Dordogne has to offer.
http://www.chateaudubourbet.com

Château du Bourbet

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The Chateau de la Mercerie is in the commune of Magnac-lavalette-Villars in the Charente department, in the countryside around 25 kilomètres to the south of Angoulême.
Visit the Château de la Mercerie
When the brothers Raymond and Alphonse Réthoré arrived here in 1925 at the Manor of Mercerie in Magnac-Lavalette they had the intention to construct a castle and a museum attached to the 19th century manor house that was already on the site.
Construction of the castle began in 1939 with the Salle des Azulejos, parallel to and just behind the manor house and separated from it by a corridor. The construction was suspended during the war but then continued until 1975, finishing with the only facade in France to be classified and to have a length of 220 metres. It is sometimes referred to locally as the small Versailles Charentais.
Alphonse was the self-taught architect for the project and drew the plans and directed the construction. Raymond paid for it with the proceeds of an enterprise he ran that sold industrial washing wachines. Raymond also become maire of Magnac-Lavalette on six occasions, and also translated the writings of Charles de Gaulle into Russian.
After being abandoned for almost 30 years, in 2011 the Chateau de Mercerie began a programme of restoration thanks to the efforts of Didier Jobit, Maire of Magnac-Lavalette-Villars, and the Association of the Château de la Mercerie under Georges Mesnard.
https://www.francethisway.com

Château de la Mercerie

The commanding position of the bluff on which Marouatte Castle stands may explain why the spot was occupied in so many past periods, beginning in the Stone Age. It dominates the valley of the Euche stream and from it a wide area of pasture land and forests in the Dronne Valley can be enjoyed.
Before written history
Stone Age Neanderthal and even earlier hunters are known to have roamed the immediate vicinity - their flint knives and scrapers were found during the construction of the playing field adjacent to the outer court and bones from a mammoth were discovered in the Euche Valley beyond.
Bronze Age burials were recently unearthed from under an ancient priory in St. Vivien village at the foot of Marouatte. It is possible that they represent people from a hill-fort on the Marouatte plateau, up to 5000 years before the castle. An important "dolman" burial mound remains dating to 17,000 BC can be seen just beyond St. Vivian less than 1.6 kilometers from the castle.
Roman times
A Roman military road passed along the Euche Valley below Marouatte and fragments of Roman roof-tiles have been found at Marouatte . There are remains of a Roman camp or relay station in the parkland beyond the main gate. Some authors suggest a Franko-Roman chateau-fort stood on the site of the current Chateau. The name Marouatte is derived from the Frankish Latin "muratum" (wall) and implies the site was fortified.
Age of feudalism
By the 12th century Richard I was King of England and Duke of Aquitaine which included the Dordogne and, therefore, Marouatte. This chivalrous, if not brutal, time sees the first recorded, surviving documentary record of Marouatte; a feudal barony already based here in 1293. The rock was hewn to a depth of several meters to support the towers and form the moat and it is on these massive 12th century foundations upon which the Castle is built.
By 1303 the feudal fortress was well established and belonged to the Montagrier family whose oak tree coat of arms can be seen in the mullions of the blocked up window above the cloister courtyard. The personal blazon of Marouatte; the symbol of a cross with four bars ending in fleurs de lys can be found in the walls and fireplaces throughout the chateau.
During this period of constant fighting in the Middle Ages between the English and French including the 100 years war, much, if not all, of the records of the age were lost or destroyed. What was left disappeared during the French Revolution.
Renaissance & French Revolution
Antoine Montagrier, the last male Montagier, built the outer enclosure of 1569 and after his death his eldest daughter, Claude, brought the fief of Marouatte into the possession of her husband, Baron Chabot de Jarnac. The name has a famous connection to the "Coup de Jarnac" or "low blow" aimed unexpectedly at the back of an adversary's knee.
During this period, when castles were no longer considered relevant in the age of the cannon, the high walls between the inner towers were lowered giving one a view of the surrounding hills and fields. A building between the Garden Tower and Chaufage Tower was also removed leaving only the window openings clearly seen. The Western part of the moat was also filled in giving one direct access to the garden beyond.
During the French Revolution, Duc de Chabot and Count de Jarnac fled abroad and Marouatte was confiscated by the Republic in 1792 and was gradually despoiled by the local population to build their own homes and public buildings. The dilapidated Chateau changed hands many times in the late 18th and early 19th. Century. In 1843 M. Boc de St. Hilaire purchased the Marouatte domain, consisting at that time only of the Chateau and 30 acres. He worked hard to restore the Chateau until his death in 1861.
Modern times
In 1900 a shipping magnate from Bordeaux, M. Rouanet, bought the property. He carried out major restorations including the rebuilding of two towers. M. Rouanet's grandson, who lives in Riberac, recalls his childhood, a time when the outer court housed a thriving farm and winery. Pigs, dogs, horses and chickens were kept in the stables and outbuildings. The vines grown on the farmland produced good white wine and champagne, but the red wine was not a success. The winery, with its vast oaken vats, grape press and the 'cave' still survive forming a kind of wine museum; its ambience contrasting strongly with the metal tubes and steel barrels in modern wineries.
35 years ago the chateau was purchased by an English family, Sir Maxwell and Lady Joseph. He was known to have a number of distinguished guests including Sir Edward Heath, one time Prime Minister of England. He arrived with his piano and his butler; the piano had to be taken up the spiral staircase to his bedroom. The Queen Mother (mother of Queen Elizabeth II) also came - her instructions were that she needed two identical bedrooms for her and her Lady-in-Waiting. This prompted Sir Maxwell to divide the large space above the Salle d'Honor in half creating two identical bedrooms, now known as the Queen Mother suite.
Today the castle has largely been restored with all modern amenities added including central heating in the main chateaux The decoration has made liberal use of Gothic Revival furniture, art and architectural antiques including beautiful stained glass, tiles and period wood and stone work.
Used as an inspiration for music creation & production titled "Prentemps des Troubadours" attendees have included Cher, Jon Bon Jovi, Carole King, Keith Urban, Stewart Copeland, Jules Holland, Jeff Beck, Peter Frampton, Ted Nugent, Mika, Ellie Goulding, Zucchero and many others. This produced hits for Celine Dion, Aerosmith, Keith Urban, Aaron Tippon with songs written at the castle thus reviving the rich songwriting period of the region's troubadours of the 12th century. In 2011 the American performing rights society ASCAP began holding annual songwriter retreats at the castle with many notable songwriters.
http://www.marouattecastle.com

Château de Marouatte

Le château du Montet est un château situé au-dessus du jardin botanique du Montet sur la commune de Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy en Lorraine.
Histoire
Le duc Antoine de Lorraine cède ce domaine à son médecin en 1527, Jean Geoffroy, qui y fait construire une demeure de style gothique. Le clocher de la chapelle portait la date de 1600. L'édifice est détruit à la Révolution et une construction néo-gothique le remplace, en 1872.
Aujourd'hui, il est la propriété de l'Université de Lorraine. La salle principale a été rénovée en 2007.
Il a hébergé l'association HERMES de 2004 à 2007.

Château du Montet

There are two parts to the Château de Bourdeilles; the older part which was a defensive fortress and the newer part built as a luxury residence not a defensive castle.
A sturdy fortress dating back to the 13th century, constructed on a rocky spur and dominated by an octagonal keep. The octagonal keep is 35meters high and has walls 2.4 meters thick and it dominates views of the village.
It is possible to climb to the top and get some superb views of the village of Bourdeilles below.
Renaissance Palace
The 16th century renaissance castle has richly furnished rooms such as the sumptuous 'Salon Doré or 'golden room' with a beautiful painted ceiling. There is a prestigious collection of furniture from the 15-19th centuries, including the gilt Spanish bed of Charles V known as the 'Paradise Bed'.
The rooms to visit include the armoury, a dining room and two bedrooms.
Both castles are surrounded by sturdy fortified walls.  Inside the walls next to the Renaissance Palace is a beautiful courtyard garden, lined by trees and with borders full of flowers in shades of blue and yellow.
A little history
In the early days of the château when only the fortress was built it was highly prized for its strategic position and much fought over. It changed from English to French ownership several times over the course of the Hundred Years War.
At the end of this period the Château belonged half to the Counts of Perigord and half to the King of France. An arrangement which worked well until the begining of the 15th century when the counts started robbing and pillaging the surrounding countryside using the castle as their base. The King was forced to intervene and confiscate the castle.
At the end of the 15th century Francois de Bourdeille, a descendent of the original owners of the castle bought it. Later in the 16th century the Renaissance Palace was constructed. One striking feature of this castle is that the project was overseen by a woman, Jacquett de Montbron.
In the following years the château changed hands several times and became a silk worm factory and a location for manufacturing and storing Saltpetre. It fell into disrepair until in 1962 the last member of the Bourdeille family (who were once again the owners of the castle) gave it to the Dordogne department and two benefactors, Mr Santiard and Mrs Bulteau restored the castle and installed their collection of antique furniture. Upon their deaths the Chateau de Bourdeilles was returned to the Department and is now open for visits.
https://www.northofthedordogne.com/chateaubourdeilles.php