Attractions and Places To See around Gimeux - Top 17

The Garde-Épée dolmen is classified as a historic monument. It is made up of five slabs which delimit the room and slabs which cover it. The dolmen is five meters long and more than two meters high.

This imposing holm oak is approximately 500 years old. We do not know if it was planted on the occasion of the birth of the future king of France François I in 1494, on the occasion of his coronation in 1515 or on the occasion of his death in 1547. What we do know, however, is that it measures 17 meters high with a trunk circumference of 5.5 meters. Classified as a “remarkable tree”, it was even elected “tree of the year” in 2014 by the National Forestry Office.

The Château de Garde-Épée in Saint-Brice is built on the edge of a plateau overlooking the Charente in the distance. In January 1553, Sieur Ancelin, a merchant, bought this fief from the Marquis de Caravaz (the Marquis de Carabas in Perrault's tale) with permission to build a crenellated house there with a gigantic flight, fish pond and warren. Around the middle of the 17th century, Jean Ancelin having died childless, his heirs sold the domain of Garde-Épée to a Mr. Richard, who was still the owner in 1698. Finally the house of Garde-Épée passed into the family of Jarnac de Garde-Épée, which still owns it today with the abbey of Châtre, through a private company, the Société de Garde-Épée, whose main shareholder is Henri de Jarnac. On the right, before the entrance, the imposing round flight has 2600 putlogs. It is covered with a pepperbox roof with three skylights and dates from 1553. The arms of the Ancelins are visible above the door. The entrance is imposing with a carriage entrance surmounted by a long curtain wall crowned with merlons. The buildings form a vast quadrilateral. The house which occupies the north side was rebuilt at the end of the 18th century with two levels under a low roof; it is extended by two single level wings. The courtyard has a curious well covered with a roof. The castle has been listed as a historical monument since October 30, 1973.

Construction of the second half of the 19th century, the castle of Gademoulin stands proudly in the town of Gensac-la-Pallue. Neo-Gothic in style, it takes place on the remains of an old medieval castle destroyed in the 16th century during the protests against the salt tax. Sold as national property under the French Revolution, it now houses a luxury accommodation space.

This dwelling was built around the middle of the 16th century (1553), in the form of a crenellated house with a leak. In 1562, nine machicolations were drilled above the entrance gate which once ended, at both ends, with two turrets, only one of which remains. The postern is framed by two pilasters and surmounted by a triangular pediment decorated with fire pots. With this house was built a terrace. The other farm buildings are of recent construction, as well as the chapel in front of the gate.

I thought this famous dolmen was located in Cognac. Thank you for this reminder

The dolmen is imposing, resting on five orthostats 2.2 meters high. Coverage is made up of two rooms for an area of 27 square meters. It dates from the Neolithic period (between -7,000 BC and - 2,500 BC)

Possibility of stopping on the castle side or opposite to observe the splendid facade of the castle.