Top 4 Castles around Saint-Simon

The Giraud d'Anqueville, lords of Bois-Charente, built the castle in the 16th century. The main building has a 16th century tower and extensions dating from the 19th century. In 1680, the castle passed through marriage to François Goulard, lord of La Faye, and it became the property of Jean Thioulet, gentleman of the king, at the beginning of the 18th century. Bois-Charente belonged in 1900, at the beginning of the 20th century, to Jean Fougerat known as Élie, a wealthy owner and benefactor for the development of the Cognac vineyard. The Charente pharmacist and winegrower Jean Fougerat (1863-1932) made a fortune by exploiting several pharmaceutical specialties, in particular the famous Rami syrup to treat the bronchi. This bachelor amassed a "considerable fortune", part of his income came from the exploitation of large vineyards that he had acquired around Graves-Saint-amant, his native land. Indeed, after the phylloxera, in 1897, he replanted 350 hectares of vines on his land acquired in the communes of Graves (logis de Bois Charente), Champmillon (domaine de la Chapelle), Saint-Preuil, in 1897 and Lignières-Sonneville between 1898 and 1901. In 1906, he harvested 22,000 hl of wine and produced 3,000 hl of brandy. He developed the logis de Bois Charente and enlarged its park. He planted more than 500 different species there. He set up a wine station where, with his colleagues, he prepared future plantations and improved the distillation processes. In the absence of immediate outlets, he distilled and aged the eau-de-vie and built numerous ageing cellars in Champmillon, Saint-Preuil and Bourg-Charente. When he died, Fougerat donated his estate and his Bois-Charente manor to the city of Angoulême, the universal legatee. She set up an "Institut de la viticulture charentaise" there (soon renamed the "Bureau interprofessionnel du cognac" and repatriated to Cognac in the 1980s). The Manor was active until the early 1980s, then between 2003 and 2016 it became an educational center for young people in judicial protection. The educational support was based on a high-end application restaurant, with the preparation of CAP and BEP certificates as a key. In his will, Jean Fougerat also had an imposing monument erected in Bois-Charente to the glory of Charente viticulture and cognac. Created by the sculptors R. Lamour de dieu and Émile Peyronnet, the work represents "six figures engaged in viticultural work, in bronze bas-relief; a distillery is engraved in marble". Jean Fougerat gave his name to a street in Angoulême and to his foundation, based in Graves-Saint-Amant. The latter supported the Institute of Viticultural Research in 1936, then currently supports the educational center with the CCAS.

The castle was built in the second half of the 16th century, but certain elements date from the 17th. Thus, the portal and the watchtower at the entrance both date from the 17th century.

The ruins of Bouteville Castle were built around the year 1000 on the site of a Roman villa.

In 1655, Pierre Laisné, Sieur du Chardonneaux acquired the land of Gondeville from the heirs of Samuel de Lanauve. He made great efforts to have Gondeville erected into a parish, which led to many disputes with Jean de Culant, lord of Saint-Même who had a pew in the church while the lord of Gondeville did not. had not. The construction of the church in Gondeville is due to his son-in-law, Isaac Laisné de Nanclas, whose name was given to the main street. Isaac Laisné de Nanclas had a brilliant military career; First becoming lieutenant-colonel of the Sainte-Maure regiment, he was appointed, in 1690, brigadier of the king's armies. He distinguished himself in numerous campaigns and died on October 30, 1704, after having obtained the title of lieutenant-general; he was buried in the church of Gondeville. His son, Philippe Laisné de Nanclas, having died childless, left his property to his nephew, Louis Saulnier, de Pierre Levée. The Saulnier family kept Gondeville until the end of the 18th century. At the beginning of the 18th century, Philippe Laisné de Nanclas built the new castle, all the buildings surrounded a long rectangular courtyard. The castle occupies the east side. On the west side, rose a circular leak. The wrought iron entrance gate to the courtyard is surmounted by a wrought iron impost, bearing an escutcheon with the arms of the Saulnier de la Pierre Levée and Laisné de Nanclas families, flanked by two lions and surmounted by a crown. . On the cadastre of 1849, the various buildings are arranged around a large rectangular courtyard, there remains only the house to the east, part of the outbuildings to the north, a well and the gate to the south. It should be noted that the stones which would have been used to build the current castle would come from the first fortified castle which would have been built in the 10th century on an island in the Charente to block the road to the Vikings who went up the Charente. It would have been destroyed during the Hundred Years War, but still existed in the 17th century. The two remaining wings became the town hall in 1947. .

a true wonder and at its feet, do not forget to visit a local artisan manufacturer of balsamic vinegars sold in the best restaurants!

It is an imposing castle dominating the Charente valley, notably Angeac, below, where exceptional dinosaur bones were discovered (giant dinosaur femur visible at the Angoulême museum). The most spectacular view of the castle requires taking the D 152 towards Malaville. Be careful, the slope is steep and the percentages impressive.