The buildings turn out to be the Chateau de Marmande. The place is near the village of Velleches in the Vienne, so not to be confused with the Cathar fortress of the same name in Lot et Garonne.
According to French Wikipedia, it is an exceptional collection of fortifications from the 12th and 17th centuries, adorning the plateau of an escarpment. The castle keep and the 40m high staircase tower were constructed to a very high quality. In addition, the chateau has a significant underground network of galleries, restored, but not open to the public.
6 comments:
Marmande, in southwest France, was well known for a prize variety of tomatoes. I wonder if the local people are still growing them. Such a pity if they don't!
I had never heard of "your" Marmande.
Super Marmande!
chm & Tim: I usually grow them. Nice size, good all rounder tomato.
Wikipedia says that the southern Marmande became a tomato-growing area when phylloxera killed off all the grapevines down there in the late 19th century.
Yes we grow Marmande as well.
Ken: now that you mention it, I think I've read that story too.
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