Medieval City of Chauvigny, Historic site in Chauvigny, France
The Cité Médiévale de Chauvigny is a medieval hilltop town in Chauvigny, in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France. Several castle ruins stand side by side on the plateau, including the bishops' castle and those of Montléon, Harcourt, and Gouzon, alongside narrow stone lanes and the Romanesque church of Saint-Pierre.
The upper town of Chauvigny grew in the Middle Ages around the authority of the bishops of Poitiers, who built a fortress there from the 10th century onward. Over time, rival noble families also raised their own castles in the same area, which is why several ruins stand so close together today.
The collegiate church of Saint-Pierre is known for its Romanesque carved capitals decorated with fantastical creatures and biblical scenes. Visitors who step inside will find figures that are rarely seen in this form elsewhere.
The upper town is reached on foot along cobbled lanes that can be steep in places, so comfortable shoes are a good idea. It is worth allowing enough time to walk between the different monuments, as they are spread across the hilltop.
Chauvigny is one of the few towns in France where five medieval castles have survived on a single rocky spur. This unusual situation is the result of rivalries between several lords who each claimed a portion of the same strategic hilltop.
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