Donjon de Marthon ou La tour du Bre

The Tour du Breuil at Marthon, in the Charente, a listed historic monument, dominates the village and the surrounding countryside. Built in the second half of the 12th century, the castle now shows the remains of its square keep. About fifteen metres high, it survives on three levels: the ground floor, the principal floor and a second floor that is almost entirely ruined.

In the 12th century, a time of political disorder, the building of Marthon seems to have been the work of a rich man with large resources of labour. That century was an important stage in the history of castles: feudal France and the power of the lords allowed larger complexes to be built more quickly, with great fortified enclosures added to the keeps, taking in the lower courtyard. Walking through the old village at the foot of the keep, visitors can find traces of the former chapel, converted into a modern house.

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