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Chateau de Fougeres

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Visit the Château de Fougères! Explore Europe’s largest medieval fortress, featuring 11 towers and massive curtain walls in a breathtaking journey through Breton history.

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Chateau de Fougeres

Visit the Château de Fougères! Explore Europe’s largest medieval fortress, featuring 11 towers and massive curtain walls in a breathtaking journey through Breton history.

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About Chateau de Fougeres

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A true "sentinel of Brittany," this fortress is one of the most imposing in Europe. Located on the border of Brittany, it boasts an exceptionally well-preserved medieval structure. Unlike many hilltop castles, this one is built below the town, on a rocky outcrop surrounded by the Nançon River, which served as a natural moat. The tour offers a technological and historical immersion: its eleven towers, some of which are massive and still intact, allow visitors to understand the evolution of military defense over 400 years. It's a stone labyrinth where you can wander along the curtain walls and admire the watermills still in operation at the foot of the walls.

Tip for an even more exceptional visit.

Don't miss the circuit of the upper town ramparts after visiting the castle; it offers the most beautiful overall view of the fortress and its gardens.

4 Key Dates

castle
1120

Construction of the castle, a true synthesis of military architecture, defending the marches of Brittany.
castle
1166

At the end of the 12th century, Henry II of England attacked and burned the castle. Baron Raoul II, who had resisted the English raids, bore the brunt of his wrath. Starting in 1176, he launched a major reconstruction in stone.
castle
1430

The Dukes of Brittany acquired the fortress and made it a key element in the defense of the borders. They carried out important works there, including the postern gate and the towers of Amboise.
castle
1862

The municipality buys the castle, a listed historical monument, and launches major cleaning campaigns.