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Dombes, a land of a thousand ponds, is a vast freshwater fish-farming area. This land of ancestral traditions, particularly pond fishing, is home to exceptional flora and fauna in a pristine natural setting.

very beautiful park with its panoramic tower, its show where the actors are the birds of the park, its ponds, its scenes of life as if we were in the country of origin of the birds.

Sandrans Castle was mentioned in writings as early as the 13th century. It was then the property of the Sandrans family who left it its name. This building is made up of a brick tower flanked to the west by a quadrangular building. The cylindrical keep, with a diameter of 11 meters, would have been built in the 14th century, and many architectural elements were added two centuries later. This castle was built on a circular mound "poype" 10 m in diameter, surrounded by a ditch filled with water. The extracted earth was used to raise the construction in order to make it a strategic observation post. The two turrets called watchtowers, framing access to the mound, appear to be a later decorative addition. The old farmyards have only been very partially preserved; one is occupied by the farm and the other has almost disappeared. The castle is restored and awarded by the heritage foundation. The “poypes” are a curiosity of Dombes. These are mounds of earth made by human hands, topped in the Middle Ages with a wooden tower which served as a watchtower and defense. Château de Sandrans 01400 Sandrans, private property, cannot be visited.

Fortified house dating from the 14th century. Curious beveled shape of the cylindrical tower, topped during the Revolution.

Bouligneux castle is a typical example of fortified houses built in the Dombes and Bugey regions in the 14th century. During the revolution it was almost demolished, but the local municipality saved it and used it as a farm. The fortified tower was a compromise, however, and it was reduced by one storey, hence the displaced shape of the tower's roof.

The park has a total area of 345 ha, including 140 ha of ponds, of which 35 ha of the park can be visited. The presence of these ponds has the effect of attracting many breeding, migratory or wintering birds. Herons, egrets or sarcelles come to populate the place, more than 130 species live here in this exceptional habitat. Bird park : 01330 Villars-les-Dombes, phone : +33 4 74 98 05 54

The 14th century fortress, remodeled at the beginning of the 17th century and whose towers, feudal symbols, were trimmed during the Revolution is a fine example of a fortified house in Dombes. The castle built by Girard de La Palud remained in the family for four centuries: set on a cliff, four towers and a round keep connected by curtain walls, all in Savoyard squares, characteristic of military or private construction. in Bresse. If it survived the Revolution, it was because the commune then turned it into a grain store.

If you missed going inside, you can watch the colorful flight spectacle on their website, where there's also a web ticket discount for €18 https://www.parcdesoiseaux.com