|
The castle of NIEUL-les-SAINTES :
was built around 1370 by Jehan
Chaudrier, the mayor and liberator of La Rochelle, then under
English dominion. This illustrius family will give birth to
Pierre de Ronsard the most famous poet in 1524. The castle
presents itself as an irregular hexagonal enceinte formed by 12
to 14 meters high walls pierced with loop-holes, crowned with a
'chemin de ronde' and flanked with square towers. To the south,
the ruines of a primitive keep can be seen close to the wall. Two
drawbridges span the moats which are now empty of water. One
leading to the ogival gate, the other to the potern. The
furnished divelling, underfround chambers, turrets, a dungeon, an
ice-pit, all add up to the medieval character of the place.