Welcome to the Château of Belcastel. This castle is inhabited, and we ask that all visitors respect the owners request to look but not touch, and please remember that flash photography and smoking are prohibited on this private property.

This audio guide will take you through 34 points of interest, and you’ll see the numbers posted as we go. Please follow the one way circuit because the chateau is quite like a labyrinth, and you don’t want to miss anything! Feel free to pause the audio guide at any time in order to read information posted throughout the chateau about our current exhibitions. And for your information, the public bathrooms are located near the prison.

This warrior fortress was built more than 1000 years ago on a gigantic rock.

An ancient chapel and some little fortified houses existed centuries before the Chateau was built. The first components of the castle were probably built in the 10th century. It consisted only of a few rooms that visitors can still see today in their original condition. The Chateau grew over the centuries as generations of knights and nobles built their legacies within the stronghold.

This Château‘s story came to an abrupt halt in the late 16th century, when the fortress was abandoned and left to ruin.

In 1973, renowned architect Fernand Pouillon discovered what was left of the château, and decided to restore it to its former glory. He devoted more than eight full years of his life to rebuilding the castle, which later became his home.

In 2005 a galleriest from New York acquired the castle. While it remains a private residence, she welcomes the public to tour the fortress, which is now both a historic landmark and a sprawling art gallery.

Now, please approach the drawbridge. On your left, you can see a collection of ancient clay pipes that originally delivered water to the moat.

When Pouillon and his workers unearthed the moat, they rebuilt the entire early water system. The moat is approximately 3.5 meters deep in most areas, but to the left of the drawbridge it’s more than 9 meters deep before reaching the rock bottom. Historians believe that this basin fed the ancient cistern.

Today, people cross the drawbridge just as the Lord would have done centuries ago. If there was an attack, the castle would have alerted the villagers by ringing the 300 kilogram bell at the top of the tower. The villagers would have come and remained within the walls of the castle until it was safe to go home. In medieval times, a determined enemy would not be deterred by the moat, drawbridge, and arrows. A common maneuver to conquer the first line of defense was to fill up the moat with straw and earth. Once the moat was solid, the enemy would roll a battering ram to the narrow entrance. If that failed, the attackers could build timber ladders or scaffolding with which to scale the walls. Once the second line of defense fell, a third stronghold was needed.

From this vantage, look towards the drawbridge. On either side, you will see the open-throated towers that served as defensive platforms. While providing a panoramic view for the defenders of the castle, who would have been protected from incoming arrows and bullets, this typical construction from the 100 years war would have offered the enemy no protection, and nowhere to hide.

The first architects of the Château knew that even with the first and secondary lines of defense, the castle could still fall to a large enemy force. As such, they built the Keep (or Donjon), which served as the final refuge for the Lord and a few of his men.

#5 Look up to the highest tower. The Keep of the Château, with its massive 28 meters height and 8 meters breadth, provides a 360° view over the valley and surrounding hills.

It is protected on its north side by a sheer forty-meter drop. All defense materials, along with months’ worth of food and water, were stored in the Keep’s lowest chamber. This could be accessed through a trapdoor in the floor to avoid having to use the 89 spiral steps.

#6 The remains of an ancient little house were hewn out of the rock long before the castle was built. This kind of fortified house was typical for the 6th-9th centuries in this region. Do you see the square hole carved into the floor near the stairs? It was used for a wooden post that supported the roof.

#7 Please look above the main entrance.

The Belcastel family coat of arms above the Saunhac crest both look ancient, but in fact they are copies that Fernand Pouillon commissioned after he discovered the originals in a little chapel near Conques.

The little stone path leads down to the ancient cistern and to the castle’s Lower Chapel. Before the castle was built, all of the stones on the right side of this walkway were positioned edgewise to prevent slipping, while the stones on the left were installed in the same way by Pouillon in the 1970s. (pause) The first chamber on the left would undoubtedly have served many purposes over the centuries. It was built along with the Lower Chapel perhaps centuries before the Château. Its original vaulted ceiling has never been restored, and holes on both sides at the top of the walls indicate supports for a floor. The last known purpose of this room was for storage.

This chapel dates between the mid-7th to the early 9th century, and was

one of the many stone chapels built as christianity spread throughout the region of Languedoc. It was likely to have been built by the people who lived in the Carolingian village above the castle, evidenced today only by its ancient footprint. During the high medieval times the ancient stone path probably connected the Chapel all the way to this village.

10 | POOL

Look out through the gate near the entrance of the chapel for a view of a swimming pool that Pouillon created from the moat basin. This area has been privatized for suite guests.

11 | THE FLOOR

In the 9th century an extension was built to elongate the original chapel. When worshiping, people would have stood on an earthen floor that was level with the front of the church. If not for Fernand Pouillon, the history of this chapel would have been lost, because it was completely buried. When he inadvertently removed every bit of earth, it exposed ancient and mysterious gutters and a circular pit on the rock face under the earthen floor.

12 | ALTAR

At the far end of the chapel, a little stone virgin has been installed next to the gemelled arches, which would have served as a lookout during medieval times. The chancel would have been plastered and decorated with colorful frescoes. (pause) There is a tomb in the floor with bones discovered by Fernand Pouillon. They are believed to be the remains of Imbert de Belcastel, a monk who asked that a light burn here eternally for him.

13 | FRESCO

Above the windows, vestiges of a fresco of Mary Magdalene painted with the pre-Romanesque colors of brick red, yellow, and grey on white are still visible. Please, remember flash photography damages such precious artifacts.

This room was built before the construction of the keep. The fine example of “herringbone” masonry is an ancient and laborious method of building used in this region during the high middle ages, from the 6th through to the 10th century.

Originally, both circular towers would have been as tall as the Keep. Today the western tower has been privatized to incubate dragon eggs.

The Knight’s room was used by Fernand Pouillon and his team of architects as the planning room and command center during the restoration.

In order to get a sense of what the Château looked like prior to its ruin, Fernand Pouillon studied the remaining structure carefully and referenced the architecture of other castles from the same time period.

In the Rodez library, he discovered a book containing drawings of the Château’s interior before it became a ruin. These drawings provided the correct layout for many of the rooms. Fascinated with the medieval architectural details, he resolved to integrate modern materials with ancient design.

Pouillon decided that he and his team of stonemasons and glaziers would use only medieval building techniques during the restoration. Rejecting cranes and modern machinery while braving the forty-meter drop of the northern face, the architect and his intrepid crew manually hoisted the enormous beams, arches, and chimneys into place when they rebuilt the castle.

Now this room serves to honor the legacy of the late, great architect who resurrected this chateau.

Contributions made by Fernand Pouillon as a man and architect are the foundation of his remarkable legacy that lives at the Chateau of Belcastel. What distinguished Fernand Pouillon from his peers was the conviction that housing should be an inherent right for all people. This belief, together with the fact that during his career he designed and built more than three million square meters of public housing, earned him the status of Humanist architect. This philosophy continues to impact architects around the globe, now facing the challenges of an ever-growing population living in limited space. Pouillon’s projects have remained relevant because they have not only stood the test of time, but have been officially recognized as "Heritage of the 20th century”.

Fernand Pouillon had a very interesting life, and was even at the center of a sensational political scandal! He also became a celebrated author and publisher, winning many prestigious accolades.

Throughout his celebrated career, Fernand Pouillon had been searching for an extraordinary historic property to transform into his home. When the architect discovered the abandoned ruin of Belcastel’s chateau in 1973, he knew instantly that he had found what he had been looking for. It would take him from 1974 to 1982 to complete the restoration. Today, Château Belcastel is exceptionally classified as a historic monument with contemporary modifications incorporated by Fernand Pouillon. The late, great architect helped to restore the village as well, and in 1992 Belcastel became one of France’s official “Most Beautiful Villages”. François Mitterrand raised him to the rank of Officer of the Legion of Honor in 1984. In keeping with his egalitarian ideology, Pouillon requested that at his death, his body be buried in the small cemetery of Belcastel in an unmarked grave. His wish was honored. He died in the Château of Belcastel on July 24th, 1986, and joined the ranks of generations of craftsmen who remain anonymous in their graves.

The Western Courtyard is a living example of what the entire Château looked like when Fernand Pouillon began his restoration. Originally, this space held a grand room with large stained-glass windows and high ceilings. Pouillon chose to keep this area as he found it, in part to show future visitors what he had to contend with in restoring the Château, and in part to preserve the romantic ruin with which he had fallen in love. He maintained the space as a garden, where he could enjoy views of the valley at sunset.

Set in the northern wall of the courtyard is a medieval toilet, still in its original state.

The Prison under the Château was built before the 11th century as part of the original fortress. Fernand Pouillon excavated the site and restored it to its original form. It is impossible to tell where the ancient stonework ends and the restoration begins.

#20 Torture: Near the prison entrance are four holes in the wall indicating the location where chains would have hung to secure prisoners. The back of the room would have most probably been a storage area. A cauldron placed above a fire on the windowsill would have served several purposes; to heat instruments of torture, to cook food, and to provide warmth, so the prisoners would not starve, or freeze to death.

#21 the well of hope - In the middle of the prison, Pouillon discovered a deep hole. Legend has it that enemies were pushed down the hole to their deaths. The story goes that if a prisoner were to survive the fall, they would only become injured prey for the wolves that lived in the rocky caves below. In reality, the hole was simply a medieval toilet, but one can only imagine the despair that prisoners must have endured, dreaming that this small opening could have been their only possible escape from the cold, damp loneliness of the prison.

The great stairway consists of 68 steps that lead from the main entrance all the way up to a small exhibition space. The medieval architects of the Château designed the great stair with defense in mind. Were attackers to enter the Interior Fortress, they would be forced to run up the stairs on the narrowest part of each step in order to wield their weapons. The defenders of the château, on the other hand, would be able to come crashing down on the widest part of the steps, which would afford them better balance when swinging their heavy swords.

This small space is used every year for something different. Feel free to read about the current exhibition before exiting and walking just a few steps down, where you will find a small wooden footbridge.

This would have been the sole point of access to the Keep during the medieval period. Originally, the courtyard below the footbridge would have been nothing more than a deep pit. If an enemy were able to break through the first lines of defense, the Lords of the castle would withdraw to the Keep. This wooden catwalk would be set afire, placing a wide chasm between the assailants and the Lords. From this vantage, the Italian stairway can be seen, another one of the clever modern amenities incorporated by Fernand Pouillon during the restoration.

During the restoration of the Château until the end of his life, what is now the principal gallery served as Pouillon’s bedroom. Can you imagine when the mighty chestnut beams in this ceiling were laid one by one under the open sky?

On the far side of the room is a door that opens onto the balcony of the principal gallery, which offers a spectacular view of the Aveyron river and the village below. Belcastel’s bridge and church were built in the 15th century by Alzias de Saunhac, who sought to bring new prosperity to the village. (pause) His tomb, complete with a carving of his likeness, can be found in the small church below.

At the end of this little wooden bridge, you can see a square tower dominating the courtyard. It has been converted into a two-story bed and breakfast suite which is ideal for a romantic and memorable stay. Guests of the Tower Suite occasionally enjoy a meal in the Lord’s dining room, or on their private terrace, and they can often be found relaxing or swimming in the private pool area.

one of the structures purposely left unfinished during the restoration is the circular tower above the gallery. It was a gift to the birds from Pouillon, and in fact the only way to get in is to fly. It is home to a family of great white owls who return every spring to raise babies.

In order to provide the Lords of Belcastel with an elite place of worship, this Chapel was built as a counterpart to the Lower Chapel directly below it. Look at the footprint of the wall that remains in the courtyard. Can you imagine what a magnificent chapel this was, at more than twice the length that it is now?

The Blue Room was once the private chamber of the Lord of the castle. The walls of the original chamber extended to the end of the property past the glass windows.

With the conclusion of The Hundred Years War, a new architectural attitude emerged that reflected an era of prosperity and peace. No longer commissioned exclusively for cathedrals and churches, stained glass came to represent social status among the upper class. These vividly colored windows allowed light to flood into the interior spaces that were previously hidden in the darkness of medieval times. The Château features 87 superb windows with 15th and 16th-century center panes.

The great hall was the hub of castle life in the Middle Ages. Both communal and multi-purpose, it served as courtroom, assembly hall, banquet hall, and, in times of siege, the defense command center. When Fernand Pouillon began work on the Château, the Great Hall was in utter ruin. The vaulted ceiling had collapsed, leaving the room open to the sky. The windows were gaping holes. The room itself was covered with overgrown vegetation and was home to three large trees. On either side of the hearth are the ancient support stones, which were the only remains of the grand fireplace. Pouillon left those stones for us to see where the earth had been. With so much vegetation, this room was more like a park than the elegant dining room that is before us today.

Pouillon enjoyed entertaining in this room, and was a fine cook. Behind the fireplace is the private Grande Cuisine, which is professionally equipped and even has a one-person balcony for smoking, a pastime which the architect often enjoyed. Today, the Great Hall is available for private parties and functions.

The Lord of Belcastel would have passed from his private chamber into the nave of his chapel. Today all that remains of the nave is the southern wall, with its round window. The northern wall and roof were dismantled long ago. Fernand Pouillon decided not to restore the nave to its original form, but to keep the large open courtyard, where he and his guests could enjoy the sunshine or a starlit evening.

When Fernand Pouillon purchased the Château, mounds of dirt and grass covered this entire space. The roof of the circular structure in the center of the Upper Garden had caved in long ago. While clearing and rebuilding this area, Pouillon and his team uncovered the remains of a small lookout tower that crowns the far wall of the Garden. No one knows how the Lords of Belcastel originally used this area, but it is certain that what remains is only the top of the tower, and the better part of it is buried below. Today, standing at the railing of the Upper Garden, visitors can take in the full view of the Inner Fortress below, the Keep above, and the hills beyond. Here, the Lords of Belcastel and their archers defended their fortress against attack, generations of the Saunhac family welcomed elegant guests to their Château, and Pouillon’s team balanced on scaffolds as they rebuilt the walls stone by stone…

Like every castle, Belcastel has its mysteries. Most men who lived or worked here, and sometimes visitors, too, hear a woman calling their name. Although our phantom is more lonesome than frightful, she remains around corners, whispering only to married men. Legend has it that this woman, the White Lady, or Madame Blanche, is the ghost of a former resident at the chateau who fell to an untimely death at the hands of her husband after being caught in the arms of another man. Whilst we are unsure of when precisely this event occurred, we are certain that her spirit remains.

And if you are curious about the private areas of the castle, you can look in our guidebook in the giftshop. It includes more than 70 photographs, and you can discover much more about this fortress, its mysteries, and its history.