Lorraine Chateaux and Castles
Because of the long and relentless wars against Germany, The French region of Lorraine has an amazing selection of impressive castles and fortified towns.
Here is a selection of the most interesting castles to visit:
Chateau de Blamont:
the Château de Blâmont is a castle built at the end of the 13th century in the French commune of Blâmont, in the département of Meurthe-et-Moselle. It underwent successive alterations and extensions in the 13th, 14th and 17th centuries which have made it one of the most beautiful medieval castle ruins in Lorraine, thanks to the preservation of five towers.
Chateau de Cons-la-Grandville:
the castle represents in a single building an architectural synthesis from the Romanesque to the Classical periods. The first castle on the site was built at the end of the 11th century for Dudon de Cons. It was rebuilt before 1248 for Jacques de Cons: a round tower and part of the curtain wall remain from this period. The present castle is built on the remains of the medieval castle, on a rocky promontory surrounded by the village and wooded hills. It was rebuilt for Martin de Custine using Pierre de Jaumont, a yellow limestone during the Renaissance, starting in 1572 (the north face has windows dated 1572, 1573, 1574, 1575).
Chateau de Hattonchatel:
the château was built during the 9th century by Hatto, Bishop of Verdun, whose name it bears, on a rocky promontory overlooking the Seine valley. The settlement became the chief stronghold of the bishops and also the location of their mint until 1546. In 1636 the retreating Swedes besieged and burnt most of the town. The château was destroyed during World War I. The ruins were bought by Belle Skinner, an American, who rebuilt the château during the 1920s.
Chateau de Ramstein:
this 13th century castle was built by the lords of Falkenstein on the instructions of the bishop of Strasbourg to control the Zinselbach valley, probably in 1292. During the course of the 14th century, the lords of Ramstein transformed it into a den of brigands and it was destroyed in 1355 during a punitive expedition by the Strasbourgeois and their allies from Berne. Below the castle can be seen two underground passages dug in 1936 by French military engineers as part of the Maginot Line. They were used as shelter by the local population during the battles of winter 1944-45. This site is currently closed to protect a colony of bats.
Chateau de Bruyeres:
the castle was built during the 10th century by the Duke of Lorraine, on a small hill. According to the local history, the site has been fortified in the 6th century by a son of Clodio, King of the Franks; it is also reported that Emperor Henri VI stayed there for hunting, in 1196. The castle was destroyed by fire in 1715.
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