ARZENC-D’APCHER CASTLE
ARZENC-D’APCHER , Lozère – Cultural heritage
About
Perched atop the cliffs overlooking the Bès gorges, the Château d’Arzenc-d’Apcher was a fief of the Barons of Apcher, one of the eight baronies of Gévaudan. Developed as a motte-and-bailey castle at the end of the 12th century, the rocky outcrop was topped with a tall, isolated tower. This was later augmented by a fortified wing and cylindrical towers during the 14th century. In the 16th century, the castle lost its defensive character and became a prestigious residential residence. Abandoned during the 17th century, neglect and decay led to its collapse. In the Middle Ages, the Château d’Arzenc-d’Apcher protected the western edge of the village of the same name thanks to its unparalleled strategic location. Today, only a few ruins remain. In addition to the Arzenc tower, you can see the remains of two cylindrical towers below which were used to buttress the building above the ravine.
