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The Château de Roquetaillade (French: [ʃɑto də ʁɔktɑjad]) is a castle in Mazères (near Bordeaux), in the French département of Gironde.[1]
History edit
Roquetaillade means "carved in the rock". It is situated on a rocky spur under which are a series of caves inhabited by man since prehistoric times (artefacts in ticket office). Oral tradition says that Charlemagne, the 1st European Emperor, gathered an army here in the 8th century and built a first wooden castle[2]. The next 400 years would see periods of unrest and invasions and the castle evolves : with time stone replaces wood and the fortifications are densified. 11th century archives mention for the first time Roquetaillade as a fortified village with its feudal system.
In 1305 Bertrand de Goth is elected Pope under the name of Clement V, the first French Pope in Avignon. Thanks to Papal finances and with the permission of King Edward I of England, Clement built 7 castles for himself and his family in the Bazas area (south of Bordeaux) his native country. They are called the "Clementine Castles" and include the New castle of Roquetaillade (le Château Neuf) built in 1306 by his nephew Gaillard de Lamothe. Its architecture is similar to those built by Maître Jacques of Savoy at the same time in Wales (Beaumaris castle). This explains why in movies Roquetaillade is often situated in GB : "The Seducers" with Roger Moore. It is considered as one of the ten most beautifull medieval catsles in France.
This new castle has a square plan with six towers and a central keep. Its technically perfect architecture marks the apogee of defensive science before the arrival of gunpowder. The end of the Middle Ages markes the beginning of a unified France and the centralization of power in Paris by the King. The feudal system dies out and with the arrival of peace Roquetaillade has no defensive utility. The village is abandoned and the military building is slowly transformed into a "house".
In 1599 the Lansac modify the 1st floor, windows replacing the arrow slits and the old guard rooms transformed into fine living rooms, decorated by the first Renaissance fireplaces of the Bordeaux region.
In 1865 the Mauvezin call upon the great architect Viollet le Duc to bring their old building up to date. Despite his many projects Viollet le Duc acceptes immediately because in his eyes Roquetaillade isthe perfect castel ! Moreover, he had carte blanche and with this private contract there would be no civil servants on his back. At Roquetaillade he will be free to create his ideal medieval dream, with fully furnished living rooms, dining rooms and bedrooms. This eruption of style and colors marks the missing link between Gothic art and Art Nouveau. The extraordinary interior decorations, with its furnishings and paintings created by Viollet-le-Duc are listed as French Heritage in 1976 by the French Ministry of Culture.
Today edit
Never sold the castle has been lived in by the same family for over 1000 years. It has been open to the public since 1956 and is the most visited in the Bordeaux region. Open all year round, visits in English with the owners are also possible.
Other activities at the castle include a famous production of white Graves wines, "Chateau Fort de Roquetaillade",[3] and Bazadais cattle breeding.
The castle been used as a location in several films, including Fantômas contre Scotland Yard and Le Pacte des loups (Brotherhood of the Wolf).[4]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Base Mérimée: Domaine de Roquetaillade, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)
- ^ "Historique du Château -Anglais-". free.fr.
- ^ "Le joyau médiéval de Bordeaux". Chateau Fort de Roquetaillade.
- ^ "Films, téléfilms, émissions tournés à Roquetaillade". free.fr. Archived from the original on 2015-10-30. Retrieved 2019-05-19.
External links edit
- Official site in English
- Article and photos on the Château de Roquetaillade
- Base Mérimée: Domaine de Roquetaillade, Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)