Château de Gilles de Rais, Medieval fortress ruins in Champtocé-sur-Loire, France.
Château de Gilles de Rais is the remains of a medieval fortress on the Loire River with a surviving gatehouse featuring two passages for pedestrians and vehicles. These entrances were connected by a fixed bridge that facilitated movement between the different parts of the fortification.
The fortress was constructed between the 13th and 16th centuries as a strategic stronghold on the Loire's right bank. It occupied an important position during medieval conflicts between French and Breton powers.
The site carries the name of Gilles de Rais, a military commander who played a significant role in 15th-century France. Walking through the ruins, one encounters a place shaped by its association with a major historical figure.
The site is openly accessible, but visitors should respect private property boundaries and walk carefully over the uneven terrain of the ruins. Daylight hours are best for exploring so that the layout of the structures is clearly visible.
The fortress originally had eleven towers, with only one remaining visible today, reflecting the scale of medieval defensive engineering. This dramatic reduction shows how much of the original structure has been lost over the centuries.
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