Apchon Castle, locally known as Château d'Apchon, lies next to the village of the same name, in the Cantal department in France.

Legend has it that the first fortification at this site, a basaltic outcrop towering above the village, was built by a Roman officer in the army of Julius Caesar. It was however first mentioned in 998, when it was owned by Amblard I d'Apchon, making it one of the oldest castles in the Auvergne region. At that time the castle probably was built out of wood. Probably during the 11th century the wooden castle was rebuilt in stone by the Apchon family.

In the 14th century, during the Hundred Years' War, Apchon Castle became a frontier castle when the neighboring Limousin region fell to the English. This caused it to be besieged several times by the English. It managed to resist the attacks and even became the starting point of the reconquest of the Limousin, led by Guillaume VI d'Apchon. Between 1408 and 1422 the castle was rebuilt and became a powerful fortress with an inner castle with 7 towers.

Although the castle was still inhabited in 1747 in was mentioned as being uninhabitable by 1760 after which it was probably abandoned. During the 19th century the castle was gradually dismantled as it was used as a stone quarry by the locals.

At present Apchon Castle is freely accessible. A nice ruin offering great views of the surrounding countryside.

In the know? Log-in to add a tip for other adventurers!

Details

Informations

Elevation 1,080 m

Weather

Today

Tuesday 4 November

17°C

7°C

0 %

If you start your activity now...

Max wind speed: 11.0 km/h

See hikes here

Take Me There

Location: Apchon, Mauriac, Auvergne Rhône Alpes, France

Other Popular Places to Check Out

Lac des Cascades

Ligne de crêtes

Bec de l’Aigle

Col du Pas de Peyrol (1,589 m)

Viaduc de Barajol

Lac de la Crégut

Puy Violent

Vue du puy de griou

GR 400 vers le Puy Violent

Cheylade

Vue sur Puy de la Tourte

Col de Serre

Château d'Apchon Ruins

1. Château d'Apchon Ruins loop from Apchon

2. Château d'Apchon Ruins loop from Apchon

Other Popular Places to Check Out

We value your privacy ⛰️

We value your privacy ⛰️