Château de Villemonteix, 15th-century castle in Saint-Pardoux-les-Cards, France
Château de Villemonteix is a castle with a rectangular main building and tall round towers at the corners of the west facade, featuring a square staircase tower. The estate contains twelve rooms spread across four levels that display the medieval construction style.
The castle was built in 1425 as a fortress to control access to Ahun and the road linking Guéret and Clermont. This strategic position allowed it to collect tolls from travelers and protect the region.
Inside, visitors can see tapestries from Aubusson workshops based on designs by Isaac Moillon, displayed alongside an 18th-century Sèvres porcelain dinner service. A rare Pleyel double piano completes this collection of objects.
The castle can be explored across four levels with twelve rooms that show different areas of medieval life. The site sits at 540 meters (1,770 feet) elevation in the Creuse Valley and offers views of the surrounding landscape from the upper floors.
The hexagonal courtyard features a well with quadrilobe decorative panels that display skilled craftsmanship. A fortified dovecote and a linden tree over 300 years old add to these distinctive features.
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