Château du Coudray-Salbart

Échiré

Built in the 13th century on a steep meander of the Sèvre Niortaise, the Château du Coudray-Salbart is considered one of the best-preserved medieval fortresses in western France, its defensive architecture never having been altered in the modern era, unlike many neighbouring castles. Its two almond-shaped towers and its circulation gallery built into the upper bailey - a device considered unique in Europe - bear witness to the care its builders took over active defence, at a time when the region formed the contested frontier between the French royal possessions and the Anglo-Angevin duchy of Aquitaine. Eleven vaulted rooms, ten of them adorned with rib vaults with liernes and corbels carved with heads, have come down through the centuries to us. Left abandoned after the Revolution, the site was saved thanks to a volunteer work camp of the REMPART association which, from 1978 to 2003, cleared the ruins overrun by vegetation before a professional restoration took over from 2005, under the aegis of the Communauté d'Agglomération du Niortais, owner since 2000. The château can be visited today during events and heritage days, between towpath and wooded meanders of the Sèvre.

Getting there : At Échiré, about 10 km north of Niort, at 1506 chemin de Salbart; site open to visitors during events and heritage days, riverside path along the Sèvre.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound