THe castle of Suscinio used to be the dukes of Britain summer home , on the peninsula of Rhuys.
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Its exceptionnal situation, by the south britain coast, on the warm waters of the atlantic ocean (into the Gulf of Britain) allows the moat to be filled with sea water at very high tides.
On the other side of the castle, the land consists on swamps (marshlands ?) and forests, both being great for hunting.
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A view of marshlands from the castle wall


The castle was probably built by Peter of Dreux, during the XIII th century. It was originally a hunting manor. But it was transformed into a war fortress during the succession war (1341 - 1364) which took place during the 100-year-war.
It's strategical situation, dominating the Gulf, and protected by the presence of marshlands made it a very disputed place. It was though taken by DuGuesclin.
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The western side and the artillery point

John IV of Monfort greatened it after he war, as an affirmation of his supremacy towards Britain, adding new towers and artillery.
It is known to have been Duchess Anne's favourite place, before she was forced to marry kings Charles VIII (1491), and his heir king Louis XII (1499) of France.

Stronghold of the royalists fighters during the revolution, it is then abandonned and used as a stone quarry. It stops degradating by 1840, whan P Merimée has the castle classified as "historical monument". But it's only after the department (french administrative subdivision) of Morbihan bought it that it was saved from ruin, and restored since.
It now is the site of a Britanic historical museum.



The castle itself consists into a polygonal courtyard. On the back of the castle, the wall holds 3 towers and a ruined home.
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the back of the castle and the eastern tower
Hey, that's my dog there !

At the front, the massive chatelet contains a 4 levels home, including a church.
That's where the duchess Anne's private appartments were sited.
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The front, and the massive chatelet of the main intrance
Hey, there's my girlfriend !

Inside the couryard, 2 ruined buildings have let traces of stabbles, and a previous church.

Nice dog... oh and the castle is pretty good too any chance for plans on this?

Nice one, can't tell you enough how much I'm enjoying these pics, French chateaux/ castles always seem well looked after, clean and tidy. So many of ours are blackened with grime from our less than eco-friendly industrial past- see the Stirling pics and you'll see what I mean.

Most of our castles are ruins too.
It just happens that the castles I visited this summer were almost all restored.

But i have a great souvenir of the castles i visited in scotland a few years ago. It is true that our "country" castles are mostly not too blackened, but you should see views from monuments in Paris or Lyon !!
I t is true though that there was a great regain of interrest into our arcgitectural history those late years and that government or subscriptions spend millions to keep the survivors good looking.
Tourism and memory are the reward !

Here are two inner views from the courtyard.

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this is the main home and intrance chatelet, taken from the courtyard

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this is the ruined home in the back. It is actually being restored (the new stonework is still clearly visible)

also, thzere was a medieval church outside the walls that was destroyed when the artillery western point was erected.
THe medieval pavement of the church was preserved under the maot water for centuries and is exposed into the castle. I'll load pics as soon as i have them scanned

Which castles did you visit in Scotland?

I'm very impressed with all of your pictures and thank you for posting them!!

i spent a few dayz on sky island and thus went to famous eileen donan, i loved dunvegan castle.
i also visited a ruin northeast, but i'll have to watch in my souvenir's book to get the name.

i also stayed a short week in kenmore. alas i couldnt visit kenmore castle, but we drove from there and visited a couple of places, including fort augustus.

and of course, spent the day in Edimburgh castle !

that was some 5 years ago, and i'll probably get back to show scotland to my girl this summer or the next

You've seen some lovely parts of the country then.
Edinburgh of course is the one that attracts all of the tourists, and the views are incredible. I prefer Stirling of the two 'big' Royal Castles, it was always a bit more homely with a personal touch that Edinburgh lacks.

Here are the pics of the medieval pavement of the ancient church, discovered under the waters of the moat.
The pavements were different in the nave, South & north transepts, or the choir, which saved us a great variety of pavements.

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Also, Laureen, i am sorry but I couldnt finds plans.
So, just to give you an idea, i got air views from a tourist sites

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Last but not least, the

http://www.casteland.com/pfr/chateau/breta...io/suscinio.htm
(french)
http://membres.lycos.fr/rhuyspatrimoine/suscinio.htm
(french)
http://www.labelledugolfe.net/pages/suscinio.html
(french)
... sorry couldn't find any in english !

ok...thats my new home...I want to live there....

Hey Laureen, this is not much but here are some plans of Suscinio.
I dont have the elevation plans, but this might help you.

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I f you have any question (the plan legends are in french!) , please do ask

Thanks Fred!

Fred I've moved your last post to here

http://www.castleduncan.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1704