Vieux-Château des Essarts, Medieval ruins in Essarts-en-Bocage, France.
The Vieux-Château des Essarts is a ruined fortress with standing walls, a tower structure, and residential buildings from multiple periods. The grounds spread across a large park with marked paths and several sections revealing different layers of occupation.
The site began as a Roman waystation along a trade route and was rebuilt during the medieval period with defensive structures. Later additions and modifications shaped it into the layered structure visible today before it was eventually abandoned.
The name reflects the medieval practice of clearing forests for settlement in this region. Today, walking through the grounds reveals how people adapted the landscape to their needs centuries ago.
The site is accessible on foot with pathways suitable for different walking abilities. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear as the ground is uneven in places, and some areas have shaded routes among trees.
The park contains unusual tree species including bald cypress and cedar varieties not native to the region. These were deliberately planted and now form a surprising collection of botanical specimens scattered across the grounds.
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