Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Pujols Castle, located in the Gironde department in New Aquitaine, is a fortified building built in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is presented as an irregular, almost square polygon surrounded by ditches on three sides. The south walls and part of the west walls have been demolished up to ground level, while the town square probably occupies the site of an old low yard and advanced works. A bridge formerly linked the city to the castle, supplemented by an ogival poterne to the west, preceded by a wooden bridge.

In 1338 the castle was taken by the French army led by Raoul, Count of Eu, before passing under the control of the King of England in 1417. Originally, a large central courtyard was flanked by bastions and square towers to the west, destroyed in 1789. The courtesies, reinforced by foothills surmounted by scauguers or round paths, testify to its defensive role. The large housing body still visible today follows a tower, while a mucharabis in the northeast defended a poterne or a low window.

The castle has been listed as historic monuments since 24 December 1925. It now belongs to the commune of Pujols, which has 524 inhabitants in 2023. The site is marked by historical events, such as the abduction in 1944 of Admiral Charles Plato, a controversial figure of the Vichy regime, in his nearby family residence. Today, only the eastern building body and the southern enclosure wall remain, recalling its medieval past and its strategic importance in the region.

The commune of Pujols, classified as a rural area with scattered habitat, is exposed to an altered ocean climate, with natural risks such as floods and land movements. Its heritage also includes Saint Peter's church, classified since 1846, and a medieval sarcophagus. The castle, although partially in ruins, remains a major architectural testimony of local history, linked to Franco-English conflicts and seigneurial life in Aquitaine.

External links