In lush surroundings this remarkable dwelling dates back to the 13th century and may be back to year 1000 for some of the fortifications.
In any case the main part of the structure is from the 16th and 18th centuries.

Nowadays, the Castle presents its façade of windows surmounted by pinnacles and hooks. Interesting gargoyles ; one of which is ornamented by a cow’s head, punctuate the front amongst unfinished sculptures from the last alterations of the 19th century.

The main building nestles between two towers : a 13th century round one and a 15th century square one. The round one was originally a tower from the ancient fortified walls, transformed later to be a dove cot and covered in the 17th century by a high dome evoking Chateau de Serrant.

This dome itself is surmounted by an incredible one meter high spike topped by a lonely pigeon and three acanthus leaves. The right to the dove cot privilege accorded by the king to the fiefdoms of high justices is composed of 400 holes of pigeons and a ladder.

By pivoting around a central axe one could clean and gather the droppings for later use as fertilizer. Each pigeon hole was equalled to a certain number of acreage. This right to the dove cot then was related to the whole area of the domain and became a very sought after mark of prestige.

The main façade hides from view lordly lodgings from the 15th century that are situated at the opposite side of the courtyard at the back of the castle. These lodgings are reminiscent of the charms of manor houses from Bretagne mixing here shiste and tuffeau ( the local stone). It conserves a square tower harbouring a lovely screw stairwell.
Construction during the 17th century prolonged the lodgings towards the south by long building with large windows and a fronton that resembles the façade of Saint George’s abbey.

Facing these lodgings one can see remnants of the medieval fortress : high walls with parapet walks in ruins that give access through a square entrance to the private apartment’s courtyard. The moats that surrounded this fortress are buried by now, but there still remain traces of their defences along the down lake. Besides, the tunnel that opens at the foot of the dove cot certainly was a part of this defensive strategy. This hypothesis appears to be more probable than the one according to legend stating that the tunnel lead to the abbey 3 kms away. But anything is possible for the reader’s imagination.

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