Chateau de Roquetaillade Castle

The Chateau de Roquetaillade is a castle in the heart of ancient Aquitaine.

Roquetaillade is a natural defensive site, with its roots going back to prehistory. The name Roquetaillade means " carved out of rock " and indeed the grottoes beneath the site were home to troglodyte man. The first earth and timber fortifications were certainly constructed by Charlemagne on his way to the Pyrenees. Of this old castle, nothing remains but imposing ruins.

In 1306, with the permission of the English King Edward I, Cardinal de la Mothe, nephew of Pope Clement VI built a second fortress (le Château Neuf), square in plan with six towers and a central keep. This structure was restored by Viollet-le-Duc and one of his pupils, Duthoit, between 1850 and 1870. The extraordinary interior decorations, with its furnishings and paintings, were created by Viollet-le-Duc and are listed as French Heritage.

In 1306 Cardinal de la Motte received permission from King Edward 1st of England to build a new castle. For this, we must thank his uncle, Pope Clement V. first French pope in Avignon. Clement V's political power was vast and extended as a far as Oxford. What we see today is a unique example of feudal architecture, that is to say two fortresses within the same castle walls. Roquetaillade has been home of the same family since its origins.