La Roche-Courbon Castle

France. The castle of La Roche-Courbon was built in the 15th century surrounded by marshes on a rocky hill. In the 17th century, it became the property of the family, whose name now bears. By the 20th century, the castle had fallen into disrepair, but thanks to Paul Chenreau, who acquired La Roche-Courbon in 1920, the fortress was reborn. Throughout the 19th century, the castle was empty, the poet had to do a lot of work here. Paul completely renovated the furnishings and laid a new garden based on drawings by artists from the second half of the 17th century. In the office where the head of the Courbon family received guests, a gallery was set up, reflecting his worldview. On the ceiling, he and his wife are depicted, surrounded by allegories of virtues (courage, justice, moderation, wisdom), on the walls - the exploits of Hercules, landscapes and scenes from ancient mythology. For the dining room, Shenro collected utensils typical for local houses: a mortar for grinding salt, a spit for game, dishes of local craftsmen.

The pride of the castle is the garden, which features symmetrical flower beds, parterres with Medici-style vases, a mini fruit garden and a pond. Due to the wetland, the garden is laid out on stilts.