The castles of Bruniquel : listed historical monument. In the Aveyron Gorges, in Bruniquel, one of the most beautiful villages in France, discover the castles: the Old and the Young perched on a rocky spur.
The Châteaux de Bruniquel are an open book on history. Each century has left its mark: the superimposition of interventions is the essential charm of this building, magnificently situated to watch over the valleys of the Aveyron and Vère rivers.
The tour includes a number of architectural features from different periods: the 12th-century tower known as Queen Brunehaut's Tower, the 13th-century Knights' Hall decorated with geminated windows, the entrance door and carved wooden fireplace with Baroque decoration from the 17th century in the Château Jeune, and the Renaissance-style gallery in the Château Vieux overlooking the 90-metre cliff and offering a superb panorama of the Aveyron valley.
Four of the châteaux host permanent exhibitions: one room is devoted to an exhibition of photos taken during the filming of ‘Le Vieux Fusil’. One room is devoted to photographs taken during the filming of Robert Enrico's unforgettable film ‘Le Vieux Fusil’, starring Philippe Noiret and Romy Schneider. There is also a room devoted to prehistory, another to stonework (stonemasons, sculpture), and another recounting the discovery of the Bruniquel cave in 1990. The information we're about to reveal is no secret - on the contrary, it's been all over the world! In the Bruniquel cave, 336 metres from the entrance, converted structures have been dated to around 176,500 years ago. This discovery considerably pushes back the date on which man first frequented the caves, the oldest formal evidence to date dating back 37,000 years (Chauvet). As a result, the buildings at Bruniquel are among the earliest in the history of mankind. The cave is closed for preservation and to continue scientific research. There are also temporary exhibitions of paintings and photographs throughout the year.
The ceremonial hall and gallery of the Château Jeune have been restored. Self-guided, audio-guided or guided tours.
