Guedelon Castle
A castle begun in 1997 and still being built using only thirteenth-century tools, materials and methods.
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Guedelon is an experiment: a group began in 1997 to build a castle from nothing using only the techniques available around 1250, and they are still at it. Stone is quarried on site, lime is burned in a wood-fired kiln, iron is smithed from local ore, tiles are made from local clay, ropes are twisted by hand and a treadwheel crane powered by two people walking inside it lifts the blocks. A working watermill grinds flour. Nothing modern is used in the fabric, which means the site doubles as research: archaeologists learn from problems the builders hit that documents never recorded.
What you actually see
- The treadwheel crane - a human-powered hoist lifting cut stone.
- The quarry and lime kiln - raw materials produced on site.
- The workshops - blacksmiths, tilers, rope makers and carpenters working.
- The watermill - a reconstructed medieval mill grinding grain.
When to go
The site opens roughly April to early November and closes entirely in winter. Weekdays outside school holidays are calmest. Work stops in heavy rain, so a dry day shows more.
Honest expectations
It is a construction site, so the ground is rough and dusty and some areas are closed while work proceeds. Most explanation is in French with some English. Completion is decades away by design.
Nearby
Saint-Fargeau lies north; Auxerre is northeast.
What to pack for Guedelon Castle
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.