Clisson Castle (France)

The Château de Clisson is a medieval castle located in the town of Clisson (France), on a granite promontory overlooking the left bank of the Sèvre river in Nantes.

Built by the powerful lords of Clisson from the eleventh century to the fifteenth century, this fortified castle became a strategic and defensive point of the Marches de Bretagne, protecting the border of the Duchy of Brittany. The castle is then only a polygonal enclosure decorated with defensive towers. After the fall of the Lords of Clisson, the castle became the property of the Dukes of Brittany and then of their descendants. Duke François II of Brittany transformed the castle into a real fortress with the addition of a second wall with numerous defensive towers covering the western part, which is more exposed.

Deserted by its lords in the middle of the 18th century, the castle was burnt down by republican troops during the Vendée war. Long in ruins, it was restored from 1974 to 1975, from 1986 to 1989 and from 1991 to 1993. It has been classified as a historical monument since August 13, 1924. The fortifications and plots of land are subject to a registration as a historical monument since August 30, 2004.