What is a masonry tower or tower-keep?

It is the main defensive tower of a castle, built in stone and typically the primary strong point of a fortress. The one at Poyaller is among the last surviving examples in the region.

Why is the entrance door located at the second storey?

This arrangement was common in the Middle Ages as it enhanced the tower's security. Access was likely achieved via a wooden structure that could be removed in case of attack.

What remains of the hall?

Only a wall section survives, indicating the building's dimensions, approximately fifteen metres long by four metres wide, and its layout with a ground floor and one storey above.

Château de Poyaller

Poyaller Castle

Saint-Aubin

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Saint-Aubin

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Château de Poyaller stands in Saint-Aubin (Landes), in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France. The building is registered as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: second half of the 13th century). The building is privately owned and no visits are on record.

Poyaller castle, built in the late thirteenth century upon a levelled motte, stands as a rare surviving example of a masonry tower in the Landes region. Constructed according to medieval military architectural principles, the complex originally comprised a residential tower and an adjoining hall. Today, only the tower remains partially visible, retaining its characteristic entrance structure at the second storey.

What to know

The tower retains only three storeys; the interior has lost its original floors.
The site includes remains of the fourteenth-century hall, reduced to a single wall section, and is not equipped for guided visits.
The castle has been listed as a historical monument since 1996.

Where this château is

Saint-Aubin · Landes · Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Map of the area around Château de Poyaller

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

40250 Saint-Aubin

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

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Heritage status: Registered historic monument (inscrit); Mérimée record PA40000009
Period of construction: second half of the 13th century

Frequently asked

What is a masonry tower or tower-keep?: It is the main defensive tower of a castle, built in stone and typically the primary strong point of a fortress. The one at Poyaller is among the last surviving examples in the region.
Why is the entrance door located at the second storey?: This arrangement was common in the Middle Ages as it enhanced the tower's security. Access was likely achieved via a wooden structure that could be removed in case of attack.
What remains of the hall?: Only a wall section survives, indicating the building's dimensions, approximately fifteen metres long by four metres wide, and its layout with a ground floor and one storey above.