Château Mélusine - Saint-Jean d'Angle Castle

In the 11th century, the first wooden castle was built on the feudal motte and was called the Château de la Mothe. In 1180, William of Lusignan built the fortified castle as it stands today. Why such a fortification? Simply because the owner of the castle also owned 6,000 hectares of salt marshes, which were the source of immense profits generated by salt production. From its origins until the end of the Wars of Religion, the castle changed hands more than thirty times. Many prominent figures vying for power passed through Saint-Jean d'Angle: Eleanor of Aquitaine, the Black Prince, Duguesclin, Jeanne d'Albret and her son Henry IV, the Rohan, Soubise, Coligny, and La Rochefoucauld families. In 1628, the fall of La Rochelle put an end to all these abuses, and the region regained its peace. In 1624, Charlotte de Saint-Gelais de Lusignan restored the castle, which had been badly damaged by several sieges. She brought comfort to the 15th-century Gothic residence, where many celebrations were held. Marie Mancini was a frequent guest at Saint-Jean d'Angle. In 1995, Mr. Rousselot, the new owner, undertook the complete reconstruction of the entire castle, as it can be seen today.