Château de Jonzac

For a first visit to the castle of Jonzac, after having spent the day in the lagoon of the Antilles of Jonzac, we didn't have much time and the end of the day was approaching... So we took the picturesque medieval street of Champagnac, a porch is waiting for us (between the hairdresser's and the real estate agency).

Enter this street to find yourself propelled into the medieval era!

The rue de Champagnac is one of the oldest streets in the city. This alley is of medieval origin and was restored in 1998. Its charm is undeniable, you can walk on the cobblestones, pass under your tunnels, walkways ... A darker tunnel? do not be afraid, continue with confidence!

At the end of this route, we turn left to join James Sclafer's street and go up to the Castle square: emblematic monument of the city, dating from the XVth and XVIIth centuries (classified MH).

Its powerful entrance castle and west tower date from the 15th century. In the 17th and 18th centuries, the medieval fortress gave way to a carefully decorated main building that hosted illustrious guests including Louis XIV and the Infanta Maria Teresa.

History

In 1073, the castle already exists; the first known lord is Guillaume de la Rochandry at the beginning of the xi century.

The inscription 1449 on the castle attests to its reconstruction following the destruction caused by the Hundred Years War.

In 1505, Jean de Sainte-Maure, lord of Jonzac, founded the Carmelite monastery on the remains of an ancient chapel dedicated to Saint Nicolas. The cloister was built in 1657. The young Louis XIV, the Queen Mother and Mazarin stayed at the castle in 1659.

The castle remained in the Sainte-Maure family until the end of the 17th century, then passed by marriage to the Espardes de Lussan family who kept it until the Revolution.

Currently the north wing of the castle houses the buildings of the town hall (restored in the 19th century), and the south wing, those of the sub-prefecture. The cloister was restored between 1976 and 1978, and now houses a cultural center, with exhibition rooms and an archaeological museum.