Tuc de Houns, Medieval castle ruins in Saint-Paul-en-Born, France
Tuc de Houns is a castle ruin consisting of two earthen mounds about 10 to 13 feet (3 to 4 meters) high located where two rivers meet in the Landes region. The site contains the remains of a fortified structure built from local clay and stone that once connected these two elevated points.
In 1255, an English soldier named Pierre de Homs constructed this fortified structure under the authority of King Henry III of England. The mound castle represented English military presence in the region during the medieval period.
This mound fortress served as the center of a small medieval settlement where the lord and local residents lived in close proximity. The site reflects how rural communities in the Born region organized their defenses using the landscape itself rather than elaborate stone construction.
The site is reachable via a shaded walking path that links to nearby Aureilhan lake and the old Saint Paul church, making it easy to explore the area on foot. The walk is gentle and connects several points of interest, so you can plan a leisurely loop through the countryside.
The original fortress featured wooden towers built on top of each mound, with one serving as the lord's living quarters and the other providing refuge for local peasants during times of danger. This two-mound system reveals an ingenious defensive approach where the entire community could gather for protection.
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