Château des Ternes

English translation

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History

The castle held a strategic role from the 11th century. In 1383, it was taken and set on fire by the English. It was rebuilt in the 15th century, presenting a main dwelling of compact plan surmounted by a machicolated wall walk and flanked by a tower at the south-west angle and a stair tower on the east façade. At the beginning of the 20th century, the new owner undertakes restoration work entrusted to the architect Emile Lemaigre who makes it the ideal medieval castle. He adds a tower at the north-east angle and accentuates the defensive character through the restoration or introduction of attributes characteristic of fortified architecture (wall walk, crenellation of towers, fortification wall with bretèche gate and corner watchtower...). The interior decoration presents neogothic elements and painted decoration in neo-Louis XIII style. The iconography, largely copied from that of the castle of Montvallat, illustrates the "Metamorphoses" of Ovid and the "Emblems of Love" of Vaenius. The gardens were laid out in 1910 by the landscape gardener Treyve, mixing a classical French part and an Anglo-Chinese garden.