#compiegne castle

[wgm-beautiful-world]

Château de Compiegne - Oise, FRANCE

[thiluutips]

Castle Compiègne and its park - thiluutips

[histoireettralala]

Growth and prosperity

Philip II showed interest in urban development, particularly over financial benefit for the crown and political gain by alliance with urban elites. There is a distinction to be made between the treatment of towns in the demesne and those outside it. Philip, like his predecessors, was prepared to make wider grants of privilege to towns outside the demesne so as to appear as their protector.

Paris was now unquestionably the capital of the Capetian realm and a major European city. Its schools became a university in this period, attracting leading intellectuals and scholars, and many students. Philip built a covered market at Les Halles for the merchants and paved the main streets. He built a new wall and the castle of the Louvre, defending Paris from the west. Recent excavations beneath the modern art gallery and its courtyard have shown the true dimensions and strength of Philip's fortifications. The Louvre enclosed a space of 78 metres by 72. The new walls were four metres thick, studded with ten towers, and protected by a moat filled from the Seine. The central keep, the Grosse-Tour, was cylindrical and 31 metres high, protected by a circular dry ditch six metres deep. Ferrand of Flanders was imprisoned there after Bouvines. The Louvre had two gates, a drawbridge to the eastern gate to the town, and a southern gate with access to the river.

Philip added defences to other French towns. His first register noted work on Laon, Compiègne, St-Mard and Melun. Curtain walls, towers, gates and ditches were built. A major new tower was built at Bourges in 1190. Instructions were sent to Garnier the mason and Gilbert the ditcher. By the end of Philip's reign every major town in the demesne had a fortress and wall. Philip's castles were massive. The tower at Villeneuve-sur-Yonne was over 27 metres high with a ditch 13 metres wide. They also have architectural interest with the emphasis on round towers- as in the Louvre. The records mention at least 18 new cylindrical towers. Dun-le-Roi in Berry used the Louvre as a model. The tower at Issoudun was cylindrical; the added spur an early example of an en bec tower. Philip's last major castle was at Dourdan with the keep in one corner, concentrating on the walls rather than the interior- the direction in which castle planning would go. Philip II was one of the greatest of medieval castle-builders, on a level with Edward I.

Philip gave protection to fairs and markets throughout the realm, as for Compiegne in 1185, when merchants going to the fair were guaranteed royal protection. In 1209 the Champagne fairs were promised similar protection. It was part of Philip's bid for support from merchants, and brought additional revenue. Register A recorded demesne rights in 32 towns. Royal towns were more freely able to recruit new citizens from serfs admitted to them. Communes prospered under Philip. They welcomed the new independence in administration, justice and financial arrangements. They raised and trained their own militias and were loyal supporters of the crown. Philip was sympathetic to communes, making grants of the status to Chaumont in 1182, Amiens 1185 and Pontoise 1188. He was more cautious over towns in the demesne, though granted them privileges. Commune status was a means of winning support in newly conquered areas, as at Les Andelys and Nonancourt after the conquest of Normandy. Beauvais valued its new commune charter: 'in no event will it [the charter] be taken outside the city'. Citizens knew the value of royal support. Walter Tirel granted a commune to Foix, but the citizens still wanted royal approval - going to Philip in Paris for a charter. The value to the king was also considerable. The tallies collected by thebaillis from demesne towns were very profitable - £2,995 from Paris, £1,500 each from Etampes and Orleans. Possibly as much as 15% of royal income came from Paris but less pressure for payment was put on newly acquired towns. The period saw economic advance and prosperity for France. William the Breton noted the fertile fields and vines of his native Brittany, the salmon and eels caught from fishing, and the flourishing of trade.

Robert Fawtier- The Capetians Kings of France

[bbcmerlinvault]

[Article] “King of the castle”

by Michelle Griffin for The Sydney Morning Herald, first published 21st May 2011

(What follows is a copy/paste of the article then screenshots from the Wayback Machine as the original is no longer available.)

Michelle Griffin joins a legion of Camelot fans beneath the fairytale towers of Chateau de Pierrefonds.

Many castles lay claim to being the original Camelot. The latest home of King Arthur's magical kingdom lies about 90 minutes north-east of Paris, in a glorious stone folly called Chateau de Pierrefonds.

For three months of the year, this imposing grey-stone pile is the location of the BBC series Merlin, which revamps the Arthurian legends as an awkward friendship between arrogant Prince Arthur and his teenage manservant, Merlin, who must keep his magical talents a secret. If, like the program, this castle is not exactly faithful to its mediaeval origins, it hardly matters to the fans who watch the camera crews re-enact battles, jousts and feasts for the fourth series.

They're not filming when my family and I decide to make a pilgrimage to the site of one of our favourite shows. But even without the catering vans blocking the archways and production teams roping off the staterooms, this mad 19th-century vision of the ideal mediaeval castle turns out to be a terrific day trip from the French capital.

"It truly is like the seventh or eighth character on the cast list," actor Anthony Head, who plays cruel King Uther, told website Monsters and Critics. "The stones still look new even though it's a few hundred years old... It's not like a castle that's got bits missing and chunks taken out of it."

Looming above a tiny village in the Oise district, this restored mediaeval stronghold was one of France's favourite romantic ruins long before Napoleon III started rebuilding it in 1857. Cardinal Richelieu ordered its demolition in 1617, after the nobles within backed the wrong duke.

It's the remaining 14th-century twin towers that take our breath away as we walk up the steep hill to the entrance - especially "Charlemagne's tower", a round donjon with a peaked roof that local wisdom says is the inspiration for Walt Disney's Sleeping Beauty.

There has been a castle on this site since the 12th century. It's a strategic location, because invading armies have always marched down the Oise Valley. Julius Caesar fought the Gauls in this region. Joan of Arc fought the English in the surrounding forests and prayed unsuccessfully for victory in the church at nearby Compiegne. On the outskirts of Compiegne, a memorial stands on the abandoned rail line where the armistice was signed on November 11, 1918. In 1940, Hitler made the French sign on his terms in the same rail carriage, which was then destroyed in Berlin.

Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, the architect appointed by Napoleon III in 1857 to restore Pierrefonds, did far more than rebuild the ruined towers and the outer walls. Like the cathedral of Notre Dame, this castle was re-created as a 19th-century dream of the Middle Ages - a riot of gargoyles and arches and long, airy galleries with camera-ready sight lines. Steel girders prop soaring roofs, and walls are painted in intertwined stencils. Viollet-le-Duc died before the job was done and the money ran out when Napoleon III was deposed in 1870 but Pierrefonds still feels ready for its next royal.

A few huts - remnants of Merlin's lower village locations - line the walkway to the moat. The jousts are filmed on a green sward overlooking the valley. Through the enormous arched gateway, with its satisfyingly fierce portcullis, we discover a central courtyard that reminds us not only of the TV series but every Arthurian book illustration. A wide, sun-bleached staircase is fronted by a bronze knight and guarded by snarling griffins. Downspouts have been carved into lizards. A long walkway is decorated with earnest stone knights and demented gargoyles - screaming monkeys, vomiting dragons and a loony five-breasted monster, its jaw unhinged to poke out its curling tongue. This is where Uther and Arthur walk and talk about how best to repel the series' latest invasions. The draughty stateroom on the first floor of the main building hosts art exhibitions but is also the TV location for countless courtly confrontations before the throne.

Climbing the stairs to half-decorated chambers and echoing arched corridors is tremendous fun for anyone who ever read childhood novels about being transported back in time - it speaks as much of Rapunzel or Narnia as Camelot. Every time we lean out a window, flocks of pigeons take off in loops above the castle roofs. Our one regret is that we cannot climb to the very top and peer out between the Lego blocks of the battlements.

FAST FACTS

Getting there

Emirates has a fare to Paris for about $2070 low-season return from Melbourne and Sydney, including tax. You fly to Dubai (14hr), then Paris (7hr 30min).

To get to Chateau de Pierrefonds from Paris by car take the A1 motorway, or go by train to Compiegne, followed by a 20-minute, €20 ($26.60) taxi ride to Pierrefonds; voyages-sncf.com. A bus runs to Pierrefonds from Compiegne twice a day; oise-mobilite.fr.

Visiting there

Chateau de Pierrefonds is open daily from 9.30am to 6pm until September 4 and from 10am-1pm and 2-5.30pm Tuesday to Sunday from September 5 to April 30. Entry is €7, concession €4.50, under 18 free; pierrefonds.monuments-nationaux.fr/en.

[coffeenuts]

Socema Grégoire (1952) by Laurent DUCHENE https://flic.kr/p/2kb1SZ2

[wanderinginjuly]

Château de Compiègne by kausaustralys

[beautifulfrenchhouses]

1,575,000 €

610m² / 6565ft²

Compiègne, Oise, Hauts-de-France, France.

[cliffou29]

The Queen’s and King’s bedrooms ... The queen’s inspired by Empress Eugenie Bedroom in the Castle of Saint-Cloud and the King’s inspired by Napoleon’s Bedroom in Compiegne (but I need striped wall ;/ )

[narlth]

Hello. Good Morning back at ya! What a lovely view of Pierrefonds Castle. Is the hotel you're staying at the one where the Merlin cast stayed while filming there? I remember from the video diaries that they stayed in, what looked like, a nice place in the village. I remember Angel and Bradley shopping. Is your trip a special occasion? Lucky that you get to visit. It looks beautiful!

It's a lovely view :3No, unfortunately. The cast stayed in a nearby town called Compiegne, rather than Pierrefonds itself. Although equally there are still no fridges :'DEurostar was having a sale so we could get tickets at about 50% off. That's all the occasion we needed xDIt's not bad to get too. Once you're in Paris. Just quick hop further.

[amarerositafoundation]

[travel2unlimited]

Chateau de Compiègne in France #travel2unlimited #travel #travelblogger #eurotrip #europe #france #french #chateau #compiegne #palace #medieval #castle #palace #worldplaces #natgeotravel #lonelyplanet #followme #advebture #eurodrive #picardie (at Compiègne, France)

[yanisbargoin]

Shooting photo de la marque de T-Shirt @thefrenchkissparis au Palais Imperial de Compiegne !!! ~ T-Shirt The French Kiss (www.thefrenchkissparis.fr) Pantalon @alexandrofratelli (www.alexandrofratelli.com) ~ Credit photo : @aurellenoir Aurelien Beaudoin (www.aurellenoir.com/photo/yanis/) Assistant Coiffure & styliste : @oscarhd Modele : Yanis Bargoin (www.yanisbargoin.com) ~ #yanisbargoin #Shootingphoto #compiegne #shooting #photo #palaisdecompiegne #mua #castle #photographer #photography #urban #urbancross #crossfit #tshirt #fashion (à Palais Impérial de Compiègne)

[urbancrosss-blog]

@get_repost Shooting photo de la marque de T-Shirt @urbancross2 au Palais Imperial de Compiegne !!!
~
🦄 T-Shirt Urban Cross (www.urban-cross.fr) => 29,90€ au lieu de 34,90€
2 tee-shirt achetés, un 3eme offert 
Codes promos valablent jusqu'au 15 octobre 2017 : YANISB 🦌 sur le site http://urban-cross.fr 
~
Credit photo : @aurellenoir Aurelien Beaudoin (www.aurellenoir.com/photo/yanis/)
Assistant Coiffure & styliste : @oscarhd @fredsky93 et ci-créateur du design @pinchon_cedric 
Modele : Yanis Bargoin (www.yanisbargoin.com)
#yanisbargoin #Shootingphoto #compiegne #shooting #photo #palaisdecompiegne #mua #castle #photographer #photography #urban #urbancross #crossfit #tshirt #fashion

[coffeenuts]

Socema Grégoire (1952) by Laurent DUCHENE https://flic.kr/p/2kaV5TJ

[wanderinginjuly]

Château de Compiègne by kausaustralys

[sofialaquadeuse]

«Aussitôt qu'un roi se relâche sur ce qu'il a commandé, l'autorité périt, et le repos avec elle.» Louis XIV 🇫🇷 #nordmylove #francemylove #pierrefonds #compiegne #oise #belleoise #Picardie #igerspicardie #hdf #hautsdefrance #hautsdefrance_inlive #hautsdefrancetourisme #hautsdefrance_focus_on #chateau #castle #france_focus_on #france4dreams #igersfrance #hello_france #loves_france_ #loves_monuments #ig_monumentalworld #ig_serenity (à Pierrefonds, Picardie, France)