Château de Doumely, Medieval castle in Doumely-Bégny, France

Château de Doumely is a castle in Doumely-Bégny featuring four teardrop-shaped defensive towers built from carefully fitted stone and decorative brick work. The structure displays a thoughtful arrangement of fortifications and outbuildings that developed over several construction phases.

The castle was built during the 15th or 16th century on foundations dating back to the 13th century. Major renovations took place in the late 17th century, followed by the addition of outbuildings during the 18th century.

The association Les Amis du Château de Doumely runs guided tours of the castle and holds seminars on daily life in the Middle Ages. Visitors can also look for graffiti left by soldiers when the building served as a command post, field hospital and prison during the two World Wars.

The castle stands in the Porcien countryside at Doumely-Bégny and is one of the most imposing monuments along the Route du Porcien. The four almond-shaped towers can be seen from outside; the covered walkway in the roof frame is no longer passable. The association Les Amis du Château de Doumely organises guided tours and seminars on medieval life.

The almond or teardrop towers were a short-lived experiment: for about forty years they bridged the massive circular artillery towers of the late 15th century and the first bastions, which appeared in Italy around 1530. Few survive in France; the outer wall of the Château de Murol in Puy-de-Dôme keeps comparable ones.