What is a feudal motte?

It is an artificial mound, often surrounded by a ditch, built in the feudal period as the foundation of a light fortification. It served as a defensive outpost or residence for a lord.

Are there visible remains on the site?

The motte survives as an earthwork formation. No building stands there today, but the archaeological relief remains observable.

Mortemart Motte

Mortemart

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Mortemart

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Motte féodale de Mortemart stands in Mortemart (Haute-Vienne), in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region of France. The building is listed as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: Middle Ages). The building is privately owned and no visits are on record.

The feudal motte of Mortemart is a medieval defensive earthwork, listed as a historical monument. This artificial mound, remnant of an early fortification, testifies to the military and territorial organization of medieval Upper Limousin.

What to know

The site is an open-air archaeological remains with no permanent building or tourist facilities.
Access and visiting hours are not officially set: contact Mortemart town hall for details.
The motte has been listed since 1979 and occupies cadastral parcels A 69 to 71.

Where this château is

Mortemart · Haute-Vienne · Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Map of the area around Motte féodale de Mortemart

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This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Mortemart, Haute-Vienne

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

Get directions View on a map

Heritage status: Listed historic monument (classé); Mérimée record PA00100398
Period of construction: Middle Ages

Frequently asked

What is a feudal motte?: It is an artificial mound, often surrounded by a ditch, built in the feudal period as the foundation of a light fortification. It served as a defensive outpost or residence for a lord.
Are there visible remains on the site?: The motte survives as an earthwork formation. No building stands there today, but the archaeological relief remains observable.