Who built the château des Rois ducs in Sauveterre-la-Lémance?

It was built shortly before 1289 on the orders of King Edward I of England, to defend the northern Agenais against Périgord and Quercy.

Did the castle stay under English control throughout the Hundred Years' War?

No, it changed hands several times, being retaken by the French in 1432 after repeated English occupations, including from 1348 onward.

What remains visible on the site today?

The keep, two secondary towers, the surrounding wall with its walkway, and the ditch cut into the rock are the visible remains of this medieval fortress.

Why is it called the château des Rois ducs?

The name refers to the period when the site was under the authority of the English kings, who were also dukes of Aquitaine and had it built to secure this border.

Château des Rois ducs

Rois ducs Castle

Sauveterre-la-Lémance

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Sauveterre-la-Lémance

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Château des Rois ducs stands in Sauveterre-la-Lémance (Lot-et-Garonne), in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France. The building is listed as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: fourth quarter of the 13th century, first quarter of the 14th century). The building is privately owned and no visits are on record.

Set on a rocky spur above the Lémance valley, this 13th century fortress was among the strongholds built by the English king Edward I to hold the border between the Agenais, Périgord and Quercy regions. Visitors come for its unusually shaped keep, hexagonal inside yet rounded on the side facing the outer courtyard, and for the ditch cut straight into the rock that isolates the castle from the spur. The site changed hands repeatedly during the Hundred Years' War and, much later, belonged to the aviator Jean Mermoz.

Written from Château des Rois ducs

What to know

The castle is a listed historic monument, protected in its entirety together with its grounds and ditch.
Reaching it means walking up a rocky spur, so expect uneven and sloped ground.
The ruins mostly date from the late 13th century, with alterations made in the 15th and 16th centuries.
No verified information is available here regarding opening hours, admission fees or accessibility for visitors with reduced mobility.

Where this château is

Sauveterre-la-Lémance · Lot-et-Garonne · Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Map of the area around Château des Rois ducs

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Sauveterre-la-Lémance, Lot-et-Garonne

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

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Heritage status: Listed historic monument (classé); Mérimée record PA00084247
Period of construction: fourth quarter of the 13th century, first quarter of the 14th century

In pictures

Frequently asked

Who built the château des Rois ducs in Sauveterre-la-Lémance?: It was built shortly before 1289 on the orders of King Edward I of England, to defend the northern Agenais against Périgord and Quercy.
Did the castle stay under English control throughout the Hundred Years' War?: No, it changed hands several times, being retaken by the French in 1432 after repeated English occupations, including from 1348 onward.
What remains visible on the site today?: The keep, two secondary towers, the surrounding wall with its walkway, and the ditch cut into the rock are the visible remains of this medieval fortress.
Why is it called the château des Rois ducs?: The name refers to the period when the site was under the authority of the English kings, who were also dukes of Aquitaine and had it built to secure this border.