When was Château du Rieux built?

The present structure dates to the late sixteenth century, though the site has been fortified since the twelfth century.

What is Marshal Ney's connection to this château?

The Marshal found shelter here in 1815 following his involvement in the Napoleonic Wars.

What architectural features distinguish this castle?

A hexagonal tower with spiral staircase and machicolations, a corner turret on corbels, a round tower, and a former circular chapel form its distinctive traits.

Château du Rieux

Rieux Castle

Saint-Bonnet-les-Tours-de-Merle

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Saint-Bonnet-les-Tours-de-Merle

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

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Château du Rieux stands in Saint-Bonnet-les-Tours-de-Merle (Corrèze), in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France. The building is registered as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: 16th century). The building is privately owned and no visits are on record.

Built in the late sixteenth century atop twelfth-century foundations, Château du Rieux merges medieval defense with Renaissance comfort. Its original layout, a fortified courtyard, centres on a hexagonal tower housing a spiral staircase and crowned with machicolations. Multiple towers complete the structure: a corner turret on corbels, a round tower of reduced height, and a former circular chapel linked by a galleried passage to a twentieth-century tower. Slate roofing and wall-walks reflect its defensive design.

What to know

Situated in Corrèze at Saint-Bonnet-les-Tours-de-Merle, the château dates mainly to the sixteenth century in its present form, though its site has been occupied since the twelfth century.
Its listing as a historic monument in 1931 protects all structures: main residence, towers, chapel, and outbuildings.
The building sheltered Marshal Ney in 1815 during his retreat after Waterloo.

Where this château is

Saint-Bonnet-les-Tours-de-Merle · Corrèze · Nouvelle-Aquitaine

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Saint-Bonnet-les-Tours-de-Merle, Corrèze

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

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Heritage status: Registered historic monument (inscrit); Mérimée record PA00099842
Period of construction: 16th century

Frequently asked

When was Château du Rieux built?: The present structure dates to the late sixteenth century, though the site has been fortified since the twelfth century.
What is Marshal Ney's connection to this château?: The Marshal found shelter here in 1815 following his involvement in the Napoleonic Wars.
What architectural features distinguish this castle?: A hexagonal tower with spiral staircase and machicolations, a corner turret on corbels, a round tower, and a former circular chapel form its distinctive traits.