Yesterday CHM mentioned the Château de Dampierre in the département de l'Aube, en Champagne region. It's in the Champagne region about 150 kilometers east and slightly south of Paris, and 35 kilometers northeast of the city of Troyes. It has what the Michelin Guide calls « un pavillon d'entrée », ou châtelet, that might remind you of the one at Carrouges in lower Normandy. Here's a composite photo of the two pavillons side by side. CHM and I have visited both of them together — Carrouges in 2001 and Dampierre in 2011. Carrouges is 185 kilometers west of Paris.
The Château de Dampierre is privately owned and not open to the public. The owner was unhappy
that CHM stepped inside the open gate to get a closer look at the châtelet (I stayed outside).
There were no propriété privée signs in view.
that CHM stepped inside the open gate to get a closer look at the châtelet (I stayed outside).
There were no propriété privée signs in view.
I'm not finding a lot of information about the Château de Dampierre on the internet. The Wikipédia article about it is sketchy. I found a Wikipédia article about the Dampierre family that says:
« La maison de Dampierre est une grande famille du Moyen-Âge, originaire de Dampierre (Aube). Ses différentes branches se sont développées à partir du XIe siècle en Champagne, en Artois, et dans plusieurs provinces de la Belgique actuelle. Toutes les branches de cette famille se sont éteintes avant la fin du Moyen Âge. »
There are more photos of the 16th/17th century Château de Dampierre on the Monumentum web site.
And here's the Monumentum page about the Château de Carrouges.
The brickwork at Carrouges gives it a warm color and the proportions are better. I'm guessing the owner is more reasonable as well.
ReplyDeleteLe château de Carrouges appartient à l'Etat.
DeleteCarrouges was certainly more friendly than Dampierre.
ReplyDeleteThe châtelet at Dampierre is not as refined or elaborate as the one at Carrouges whose brickwork is reminiscent of the one at chateau du Moulin.
Ken, I just looked at your posts on the Moulin. The pavillon d’entrée has only two towers and is much more important, behind, than the other two.
DeleteAlso, it is much closer to the chateau proper.
The pavillon d’entrée, really a chatelet in this case, defends the bridge over the moat. If this one is defensive, are the other two “decorative” ?
Very interesting. I guess the architect figured, "Euuuhhhh.... they'll never see that other one, so I'm going with this design again." Ha!
ReplyDeleteThat made me laugh!
DeleteThe brickwork is lovely. I was yelled at once for stepping inside a gate- I couldn't resist.
ReplyDeleteI just told my husband about chm’s experience at Dampierre and he said, “It’s probably owned by an ugly, rich American.”
ReplyDeleteLOL! This one is in the d’Aligny family. The other Dampierre château, near Paris, is much more impressive.
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