Went for a drive along the Lot river today and discovered the Château de Bonaguil It is a little North of the Lot river near the town of Fumel. Château de Bonaguil was the last medieval castle built in France.
It is unique in that it was constructed during the transition between the Medieval and Renaissance periods. It was a time when the medieval castle was losing its defensive value, feudalism was dying and new castles (which were more opulent palaces like Chambord) replaced the austere fortresses of the past. Bonaguil harnessed the old defensive capabilities of a medieval castle as well as deploying musketry and artillery linking it to modern forts.
Bonaguil is a typical medieval castle with three defensive lines, each inner line higher than the one it overlooks. The first line of defence was the outer wall dedicated to grazing fire, second was the main castle and third was the keep. Built on a rocky needle surrounded by abrupt terrain, it is really only accessible from one side. A fortified barbican protected the main entrance of the castle, with a deep dry moat carved into the rock separating it from the main castle.
