Château de Couches, Medieval fortress in Couches, France.
Château de Couches is a fortress with four corner towers, a tall central keep, and a chapel representing different building periods. Underground passages connect various sections inside, linking defensive positions and living areas throughout the structure.
This fortress was built in the 11th century to guard a major trade route connecting Paris and Chalon. Following Claude de Montaigu's death in battle in 1471, significant modifications reshaped the structure.
This fortress shaped the local area for centuries and remains central to how the village sees itself. Walking through the rooms today, you sense how much this place mattered to the region and the people who lived within its walls.
The site sits within a village and is easy to explore on foot, viewing the various towers and sections from outside. For a fuller understanding of interior spaces and their original purposes, guided tours are helpful and provide detailed explanations.
The underground passages served double duty as both escape routes and cool storage spaces for food and water during sieges. This practical design reveals how carefully the fortress planners thought through survival in wartime.
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