Château de l'Echasserie, Medieval castle in La Bruffière, France
Château de l'Echasserie is a stone castle in La Bruffière with an irregular five-sided layout surrounded by water-filled moats. The moats vary in width from 10 to 20 meters and completely encircle the fortified structure.
The castle was built in stone during the 11th century as a defense against Norman invasions. It stood at the borders between Brittany, Anjou, and Poitou, making it a strategic stronghold in a contested region.
The entrance displays an iron gate decorated with fleur-de-lis symbols above a stone bridge crossing the moat. These details give visitors a sense of the fortified medieval structure as it appears today.
The castle remains a private residence, so exterior visits require advance appointments to arrange. However, it opens to the public during Heritage Days events without requiring prior booking.
During the French Revolution, General Kleber ordered the castle destroyed by fire in October 1793, yet one tower survived the blaze. It was later rebuilt and still bears traces of this violent chapter in its history.
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