Elaborate 600-year-old castle — complete with moat — unearthed in France. Take a look
Archaeologists had known for years that a hotel in Vannes, France, was built on the site of a medieval castle. The 18th century mansion-turned-hotel even named itself after the castle: the Château de l’Hermine.
What archaeologists didn’t know was how much of the 600-year-old castle was still around, buried just below the surface.
The excavations in the courtyard of the Château de l’Hermine hotel in Vannes began in February 2023 ahead of the construction of a museum, the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research said in a March 26 news release.
About 10 feet down, archaeologists found the top of the castle ruins. The elaborate stone structure was built in the 1380s by the Duke of Brittany Jean IV to showcase his power, the institute said.
What remained of the 600-year-old castle was a testament to its elegance and significance.
Two floors of the structure had been partially preserved, archaeologists said. The larger ground floor stretched almost 140 feet in length and 55 feet in width.
Surrounding the fortress-like castle was a moat, which could only be crossed via a wooden bridge, archaeologists said. Excavations uncovered the ancient stone pier and fragments of the bridge.
A photo shows the sloped castle wall on one side and the smaller partially collapsed stone pier on the other side. A canal-like pit — now muddy and empty — separates the two structures.
At one end, the castle ruins had indoor toilets with drainage pipes, the institute said. The arrangement of the pipes suggested the castle originally had three or four floors.
On the other side of the ancient building, archaeologists found the remnants of an integrated, water-powered mill. A photo shows the steps leading to the mill and the Tetris-block-shaped hole where the wheel once spun.
Archaeologists also found several well-preserved staircases, including a ceremonial one, the equivalent of an ancient bay window seat and fragments of defensive towers.
Smaller artifacts such as coins, jewelry, cooking tools, bowls, knives and a padlock were found in the drain pipes and moat. Photos show a few of these artifacts.
The ancient Château de l’Hermine castle was used for about a century before being abandoned in the 1470s, archaeologists said. The castle fell into disrepair and further ruin over the following centuries until it became the foundation for the 18th century mansion that still stands on the site today.
Aerial footage shared by the institute on YouTube shows what the area around the medieval castle looks like now.
Vannes is along the western coast of France and about 300 miles southwest of Paris.
Google Translate was used to translate the news release and article from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap).
This story was originally published March 26, 2024 at 5:05 PM with the headline "Elaborate 600-year-old castle — complete with moat — unearthed in France. Take a look."
