Château de Vayres, Medieval castle in Vayres, France.
The Château de Vayres stands on the banks of the Dordogne River, featuring medieval fortifications, Renaissance architecture, and 17th-century additions to its structure.
The castle originated in the 11th century as a protective fortress for Bordeaux, with documented evidence of its stone construction and wooden palisade from 1092.
The gardens combine French formal design principles with a medieval section containing vegetables, herbs, and medicinal plants known in Europe since the 5th century.
The castle opens from April to October, offering guided tours in four languages and maintains a €12.50 entry fee with reduced rates of €11.25.
The riverside location supports a natural forest with protected plant species, including Angelica of estuaries and Fritillaria, alongside centuries-old oaks and cedars.
Location: Vayres
Website: http://chateaudevayres.com
GPS coordinates: 44.90028,-0.31639
Latest update: July 25, 2025 15:23
This collection presents historical sites across France that lie away from the usual tourist routes. From medieval fortifications to Roman structures, these locations provide direct access to different periods of French history. The selection includes fortified towers, amphitheatres, Celtic temples and prehistoric sites. The sites featured include Roman theatres such as the one in Orange, medieval castles in Auvergne, Gallo-Roman temples in the Pyrenees and Palaeolithic caves in the Dordogne. Each location documents specific aspects of the past, whether through architectural remains, cave paintings or archaeological finds. These sites allow visitors to explore French history from prehistory through the Roman occupation to the Middle Ages and Renaissance. The locations are spread across different regions and are often less crowded than the well-known monuments, allowing for quieter visits.
The Nouvelle-Aquitaine region contains historic and natural sites often overlooked by traditional tourist routes. The area features military castles such as Bonaguil with its seven 13th-century towers, underground churches carved into limestone in Saint-Émilion and Aubeterre-sur-Dronne, as well as caves decorated with Paleolithic paintings like that of Villars. Medieval villages such as Talmont-sur-Gironde preserve their original layout and overlook the Gironde estuary. From Dordogne to the Pyrenean foothills, the region presents rock-hewn forts like Maison Forte de Reignac, Benedictine abbeys established since the 8th century in Brantôme, and Romanesque churches like the Collegiate Church of Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat. The Vayres and Roquetaillade castles demonstrate the evolution of fortified architecture from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. These sites reflect the military, religious, and cultural history of the region and provide diverse examples of southwestern France's architectural heritage.
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Very beautiful castle, 1-hour visit for €13.50
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