The "Château de Val"
The Chateau
de VAL is one of the best conserved and one of the most remarkable castles
in the « Haute-Auvergne ». This imposing fortress is flanked by six, machicolated
towers with pepper-pot turrets, the different roofs of which give VAL
an original combination of colours. The XV century gothic chapel (a historical
monument) in the main courtyard is dedicated to Saint-Blaise. We enter
the castle through an iron banded door, the spandrel of which is decorated
with a bas-relief of the fleur-de-lys arms of the d’Estaing family. The
upper floors are reached by a spiral staircase from a vestibule, which
was originally an open courtyard.
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The first floor consists of three large halls, the decoration of which (ceilings and fireplaces) date from the middle of the XIX century. |
Every year, the second floor is given over to large exhibitions of the greatest contemporary painters. On the third floor, from the rampart walk, we have a magnificent view of the lake. The turret roofs are interesting for the size and craftsmanship of their members. VAL used to be seat of the baronetey of the Thynière family ; it was sold by Guillaume de Thynières to Guillot d’Estaing, who began the construction of the present castle in 1440, on the fondation of the former fortress.
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After being abandoned and restored several times, VAL has been the property of the town of Bort-les-Orgues since 1953. It is situated in the commune of Lanobre, in the Cantal. |
Bort-les-Orgues
: this commune, in the heart of the Massif Central, is within the “Parc
des Volcans”, on the boarder line between the Auvergne and the Limousin.
Altitude 437 metres, population 4.000. The tourist attractions of Bort-les-Orgues,
its outstanding location close to the chain of large dams, the “Monts
d’Auvergne” and thermal springs (La Bourboule, le Mont-Dore, …) make it
one of the best tourist centres in the region. Several day trips, shorter
road or walking circuits, each of which offer changing landscapes, wonderful
views or sites of interest, at each bend, are available.
The “Barrage de Bort-les-Orgues” because of its geographical position and the size of its reservoir, acts as a regulator. It is an essential link in the Dordogne hydro-electric network, which includes the Mareges, Aigles, Chastang and Argentat dams, downs-tream.
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