Article from Aquitaine News - July 2006
Roquetaillade, near Bordeaux, Gironde, is the only castle in France built by King Edward I. Its first landlord, Gaillard de la Mothe, was also archdeacon of Oxford University. It has been, and still is, home to the same Anglo-Gascon family since 1306.
A near perfect square, the château is protected by six round towers (28m high) and dominated by a 40m central keep. Saved from destruction during the French Revolution thanks to its ‘good wine’, it was listed as a historical monument in 1840. Two major restorations have taken place at the châreau, one during the Renaissance and the other in the 19th century, undertaken by the famous French architect Eugène Viollet-Le-Duc.
To mark its 700th anniversary, the Baritault family have asked artist Stéphane Monco to create a monumental work of art. Mixing contemporary art with historical building, four 50m² paintings will drape the keep until November and will be visible from miles around.
Throughout the summer, the castle and grounds will host concerts, plays and exhibitions: July 1-August 31 – Exhibition ‘Sacred art in south Gironde’; July 19 – Concert ‘Feste Baroques’ (part of the Festival de Graves). August 12 – Son et lumière with ‘Les Troubadours du 3ème millénaire’ and more.
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