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Witnesses to centuries past, the châteaux of the region wonderfully illustrate the eventful history of the Charente-Maritime. The site of Taillebourg close to Saintes, for instance, attests to Viking presence in the 9th Century; the Château de Montendre evokes the time of the knights during the Hundred-Year War (14th-15th Centuries). All these monuments, veritable symbols of protection or wealth, still watch over our region today.
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 Some of the medieval sites
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There are too many to list them all here, but visiting a few chateaux is a must. Such as the château of Montendre (C.9th), the keep of Pons (C.12th), the ruins of Montguyon fortress (C.12th) or the château of Jonzac (C.11th), rebuilt in the 15th century. One of the owners of the magnificent château de Crazannes, also called the Puss in Boots château (C.14th), inspired Charles Perrault to write his famous fairytale.
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Renaissance constructions |
From the 14th century on, Renaissance art took over from the Romanesque and Gothic; the chateaux of Mirambeau (C.16th), Dampierre-sur-Boutonne (C.16th), Virson (C.16th), and the fortified site of Surgères (C.16th) are all built in this style. The châteaux of Douhet (C.17th), La Roche Courbon (C.17th, built on a 15th-century fort), and Panloy in Port-d’Envaux (C.18th) also bear the mark of Renaissance influence. All these sites promise exceptional and unforgettable visits.
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