Château de Nades, Castle ruins in Nades, France
Château de Nades are castle ruins standing about one kilometer east of Nades village at an elevation of 650 meters on private grounds. The remains show the structural outlines of what was once a substantial 19th century residence with multiple buildings and support structures.
The Duke of Morny, Napoleon III's half-brother, commissioned this residence in 1855 as an ambitious summer retreat. A devastating fire in 1877 destroyed the structure and ended its life as an inhabited home.
The castle welcomed personalities such as Jacques Offenbach and Alphonse Daudet in its salons, library, and billiard room.
The site remains closed to visitors since it sits on private property and is protected as a heritage site. Views of the ruins can be had from nearby walking paths in the surrounding countryside.
A complementary model farm was established in 1853 with advanced dairy facilities and thirty residential rooms for workers. The agricultural complex was as significant to the estate as the main residence itself.
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