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Origin and history

Quat'Sos Castle is a medieval fortress built at the end of the 12th century and rebuilt in the 13th century on a rocky spur overlooking the Garonne and the Charros Creek, in La Réole (Gironde). Its name gascon evokes its four original corner towers, of which there are only three left today, among which the massive tower 'Thomasse' (30 meters high), dedicated to Saint Thomas by the English. This castle, integrated with a double enclosure, illustrates the military architecture of the Middle Ages with its preserved defensive systems, like the firemouths experienced during the siege of 1324.

The building of the castle was authorized in 1224 by Louis VIII the Lion, as a reward for the loyalty of the Reolais to the crown of France after the crusade against the Cathars. Originally built on the site of a turris regula primitive (12th century) protecting the royal lands of English incursions, it was completed under Henry III of England, then Duke of Aquitaine. Strategically located between Marmande and Langon, the castle became a major issue during the Hundred Years War (1337–1453), changing hands several times between French and English. His siege of 1324, immortalized in the cursed Kings of Maurice Druon, marked history by the early use of artillery and a surrender motivated by... harvests.

After the French victory at Castillon (1453), the castle became royal property again. In the 17th century, under Richelieu then Louis XIII, he lost his defensive vocation: part of the walls was dismantled (1629), and the south facade was pierced with windows and a gallery. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1960 (for its towers and courtesies) and registered in 1947, the site has since 2021 benefited from a €300,000 funding from the Heritage Foundation for its rehabilitation. Today, it reflects both the Franco-English conflicts and the architectural evolution of medieval fortresses in New Aquitaine.

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