Un Chateau Fort

In the middle of the forest in France, at a place called Guedelon, they are building a mediaeval castle.

Now I think that's a really interesting idea, but they have taken it further: they are building it entirely using mediaeval methods. So around the chantier (which is French for building site, though I think it doesn't look like a word that would mean building site) they have set up all the things that would have been needed in mediaeval times - a blacksmith, a rope-maker, a quarry for the stone, stables, hens, vegetable gardens, pigs - -

All the craftspeople give demonstrations as well as doing the job, and of course the whole place is ideal for school parties - several were there when we visited in April, and they seemed to be having a great time. It's good for return visits, too - people in the queue told us they come back every year to see how the castle's growing.

Everything is moved around using carts and massive horses. It was really fascinating to watch, and to see how it's all done - here's the wooden structure used to make the inside of one of the towers.

It's not a short-term project - they expect it to be finished by 2023. They're not too pompously serious about it either - I liked the notices in the cafe (yes, mediaeval food, though perhaps with better hygiene than would have been authentic) asking you to please clear your trays so as not to delay the building work.

It's all done with just the right amount of seriousness - getting the historical building methods right, for example - and just the right amount of tongue-in-cheek - they're not, as far as I know, planning to introduce the Black Death for authenticity.

I can't see such a project happening in England - there's simply not enough land. But in the middle of France, there's plenty. As with many such things, it's the product of one man's idea: a man with the vision and fund-raising ability to get it all going. When they've finished the castle, they plan to start on the surrounding village. I think it's great.