Pastellière Castle, Medieval castle in Combrand, France.
Pastelliere Castle is a late 15th century structure with a rectangular main building and three round towers, surrounded by water-filled moats. The layout features low crenelated walls and a small drawbridge at the entrance, while the roofs combine regular slopes on the main body with pepper-pot designs topping the corner towers.
The castle dates from the late 15th century and came under the ownership of the La Pastelliere family starting in 1641. During the War of Vendee in the 18th century, it served as a military hospital.
The castle displays Renaissance features in its granite entrance door, while its interior staircase shows vaulted arches and carved coats of arms that reflect the families who lived there.
The facades, roofs, interior staircase, moats, and corner towers have been protected as historical monuments since March 1988. Visitors should check with local information sources about current access rules, as castle grounds may not always be open for viewing.
The castle entrance is protected by a small, functional drawbridge, an unusual feature that demonstrates the medieval defense strategy. This detail is often overlooked by visitors, though it represents one of the most distinctive elements of the structure.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.