Tour de l'Isleau, tour à Saint-Sulpice-d'Arnoult (Charente-Maritime)
Tour de l'Isleau is a square stone tower built in the 12th century, erected on a small hill above marshland and part of a larger fortification. The structure rises about 17 meters high, features thick walls with few openings, and is surrounded by remains of an old defensive wall with corner towers.
The tower was built in the 12th century and may have been commissioned by King Henry III Plantagenet, with the first recorded owner being knight Pont de Vivonne in 1368. The structure changed hands over centuries, serving various noble families, but lost importance by the 1800s and fell into ruin until private owners began restoration efforts in 1974.
The tower served as a protective point for the surrounding marshlands and villages, shaping local awareness of medieval times. Today, visitors see the site as a symbol of old defensive practices and understand how people once watched over and inhabited this landscape.
The tower is easy to reach if you are driving in the area and sits near the main road to Corme-Royal with parking available close by. You can walk freely around the site to view the stone walls and corner towers from the outside, as the location is protected as a historic monument.
Local stories speak of secret passages and hidden treasures within the tower, though none of these tales have been proven. These tales show how deeply the site captures people's imagination and what mysteries it may still hold.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
