Bienassis Castle, Historical castle in Erquy, France.

Bienassis Castle is a fortified manor in Erquy, in the Brittany region of France, surrounded by wide water-filled moats and flanked by round towers. Behind the main facade, a formal garden with clipped hedges and rose beds extends toward the surrounding countryside.

The site dates back to a medieval fortification and was largely rebuilt in the 17th century, when the residential wing that stands today was added. That transformation turned a defensive structure into a home for a noble family, while keeping the towers and moats in place.

The castle has belonged to the Monjaret de Kerjégu family since Admiral Jules de Kerjégu bought it in 1880, after serving in the Mexico, Crimea, China and Cochinchina campaigns. The dining room displays Chinese, Japanese and Bayeux porcelain alongside Louis XIV and Breton Renaissance furniture. The great avenue, moats, ramparts, cour d'honneur, French garden, kitchen garden and forest park are all part of the estate.

The castle sits just outside the center of Erquy and is easiest to reach by car. A visit to both the garden and the interior typically takes around an hour or two, and the grounds are walkable at a comfortable pace.

The 15th-century wall walk is the only surviving piece of the original 15th-century enclosure; the corner towers and wall turrets were added in the 17th century when the castle was rebuilt. The building stones are pink sandstone quarried at Erquy.