Château de Fontaine, Historical monument inscribed in Croix, Nord.
The Château de Fontaine is a red-brick gatehouse at the end of a straight path. Its central pavilion, taller than the flanking wings, has a grey pyramidal roof and a round-arched opening with a white stone surround and black metal gate. Above the arch, a tall niche holds a statue, and two small white crosses are set into the brick on either side. Red-tiled wings with dormer windows extend left and right.
The gatehouse with its brick pavilion, white stone arch and statue niche is the surviving element of a medieval fortified entrance; the site retains traces of ancient moats. The building was inscribed as a monument historique on 11 January 1951, by which time the defensive structure had become a noble residence.
The gatehouse's brickwork carries two small white crosses flanking the arch, and a statue stands in the niche above it. The château is private property, so the gate and path are seen from outside; the building is inscribed as a monument historique. The name Fontaine refers to a spring on the site.
The gatehouse with its round-arched gate and statue niche is the element visible from the path; the moat remains and fortified gate vestiges lie on the grounds. Visits are by guided tour only, booked in advance, with seasonal opening. The site also rents halls for events and lets guest rooms.
The white stone crosses set into the brick on either side of the gate arch are easy to miss; they mark the fortified entrance rather than the dwelling behind it. The gatehouse, with its taller central pavilion and grey pyramidal roof, is the oldest surviving element of the ensemble, and the moat traces still visible in the ground show where the defensive perimeter once ran.
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