The castle of Gilles de Rais in Machecoul

The Château de Machecoul is a ruined medieval fortress located in the town of Machecoul in the Loire-Atlantique department. Situated in the Pays de la Loire region, it served as one of the fortresses of the Marches de Bretagne. The current structure was built in the 13th century, replacing a primitive building that had been erected at the end of the 11th century by the lords of Retz from the Chabot family.

Throughout the centuries, the castle underwent three main construction phases. A circular tower was added at the beginning of the 13th century, a châtelet was built in the 15th century, and a soubassement of logis with French-style embrasures was added in the 1500s. Further fortifications were completed between 1580 and 1600. The site was home to various barons and dukes of Retz, including Gilles de Rais, who lived there until his arrest in 1440 by Jean Labbé, captain of arms for the Duke of Brittany.

In 1680, records described a square enclosure of one hundred and twenty meters with six crenellated towers. The castle eventually suffered much during the Revolution; its moats served as execution sites for republicans, and the structure was burned in 1792 during the War of the Vendée. By the 19th century, it was sold to the town and used as a stone quarry. Today, only a few ruins remain, including the exterior walls of the donjon and a section of an interior wall.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons