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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Broue Tower is one of the few remains of a 11th century castle built on Puy Hill in Saint-Sornin (Charente-Maritime). This 27-metre promontory once dominated the ancient Gulf of Brouage, before the marshes formed. At the time, the site was home to a prosperous harbour, parish and chestnutry thanks to the salt trade. The quadrangular dungeon, 25 meters high today, served as bitter for the ships and was surrounded by ramparts and ditches.

The castle was first mentioned in 1047 in a charter, but its existence probably dates back to the early 11th century, under the influence of the Counts of Poitiers and Anjou. In the 14th century, during the Hundred Years' War, he passed into the hands of the English before being taken over in 1372 by Bertrand Du Guesclin, who released Isabelle de Valois, a prisoner. The site lost its strategic interest in the 17th century because of the gulf silt and fell into ruins.

The tower, built of flint and bellows with flat foothills, originally consisted of four levels: an underground prison, the commander's quarters, a guard corps and a gallery. Today, only half of the dungeon, remains of ramparts and a swallowed chapel remain. Since 1925, the tower has been listed as a historic monument and was consolidated between 1993 and 1997 by a local association. The site, now highlighted, offers hiking trails and a museum.

The successive owners include Geoffroy Martel (1047), the lords of Doë (XIIth–XIIIth centuries), then the Rochefort and Pons families until the 17th century. Abandoned, the castle appears already in ruins on maps of the eighteenth century. Recent excavations and protections (2024) have preserved all remains, including basements and surrounding plots.

The dungeon, symbol of feudal power in Saintonge, illustrates the strategic and economic evolution of the region, marked by the Franco-English conflicts and the decline of the inland ports. Today, it attracts visitors for its medieval history and marsh landscapes.

The GR 360, a great hiking trail, passes nearby, connecting the tower with other historical sites in the region. Developments (picnic area, explanatory panels) facilitate the discovery of this classified heritage, an example of the geographical and political transformations of Aquitaine.

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