La Motte, Arthel: A 15th-century fortress huddled in French countryside - a

Nestled peacefully in the countryside of Arthel, Nièvre, the Château de La Motte, more colloquially known as Le Vieux Château, boasts a shrouded past dating back to the 15th century. Constructed initially as a defensive fortress along the Roman road, time has transformed it into a grander edifice, leaving a few remnants of its original majesty.

Originally owned by a knightly family, the castle now belongs to a new proprietor. Although it remains concealed within its fortifications, marked as Monuments Historiques, its towers, courtines, elevation, roofs, barns, and courtyard are features that withstand the test of time.

The south-east tower, the largest, showcases a base that gradually narrows and walls streaked with cannon holes, with two rows of boulins, once offered shelter to inhabitants. The south-west tower beside the south-east tower, bears a spiral staircase, with a canon hole gracing its foundation.

A fresh structure was erected at the site of the south court, next to the large tower, at the end of the 15th century. Today, it stands with a mansard, a roof that was restored in the 20th century, and two windows with pierced stone on the south facade. The north facade was rebuilt at the end of the 16th century, featuring a door adorned with an arc in the shape of a pan supporting a broken fronton, adorned with a burnt shield at the Revolution.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons