Virtual Visit of the Castle

The Talbot Tower or "Philippe Auguste" Tower

The Talbot tower is the last and the best protected of the three keeps of the castle. It is accessed from the little keep through a corridor set in the curtain wall connecting the two buildings. It was erected at the beginning of the 13th century (1207) by the king of France Philippe II Auguste, who conquered the duchy of Normandy in 1204.
It is a purely military construction, built for defence and protection and to resist against stone shots which could have been thrown from siege engines and sapping. The original openings are very narrow. Inside, the light wooden floors alternate with fire resistant stone vaults. A water well guarantees that the besieged do not suffer from thirst. Circular openings at each level allow winching of supplies and heavy materials from the bottom to the top.

The Talbot Tower was very much altered in the highest rooms by the English during the Hundred Years War (The English occupied the castle from 1418 to 1450) : the openings were enlarged and fireplaces were built.From the top of the tower, one has a magnificent panoramic view on the town and one can easily make out the boundaries of the medieval city.