Brittany · Ille-et-Vilaine, France

Château de Fougères

Thirteen towers and two hectares within the walls — one of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe, built low in a bend of the Nançon to guard the marches between Brittany and France. Taken by trickery, retaken, remodelled for artillery: seven centuries of border warfare written in granite.

At a glance

Built: 12th–15th centuries
Style: Frontier fortress of the Breton marches
Commissioned by: Barons of Fougères; Dukes of Brittany
Signature feature: 13 towers enclosing two hectares in the river bend
Scale: Among the largest medieval fortress ensembles in Europe
Frontier role: Key stronghold of the Breton marches against France
Today: Owned by the town; immersive visit along the ramparts
Visiting: Open to visitors year-round