Saint Vidal Castle

An imposing fortress in the Borne valley, the fief of the de la Tour Saint-Vidal family. Originally, in the 13th century, it was a fortified house which the Saint-Vidal family enlarged in the 14th and 15th centuries. It was transformed and adapted for artillery in the 16th century by Antoine II de la Tour de Saint-Vidal (governor of Velay and Gévaudan), who added a keep to the three existing towers and built the first enclosure.

Antoine II de Saint-Vidal had been appointed Governor of Velay and Gévaudan. Leader of the Catholic League, he fought against the Protestants and rebelled against Henry IV, who besieged Saint-Vidal in 1591.
The castle retains its feudal origins with vaulted cellars and a Gothic-style kitchen with immense fireplaces. Renaissance windows, a sculpted stone portal, French-style ceilings, and a vaulted gallery bordering an inner courtyard are among its decorative elements; numerous arrow slits, gun ports, and machicolations are its defensive features. The castle is a listed historical monument and is open only for Heritage Days.
For groups: please call us for possible visits. Appointments are available from June to September.