A little history of Bignon-Mirabeau castle
And also
The tops
We are now on river Betz banks, and I see Bignon-Mirabeau castle, a little way away from the village.
In the Middle Ages, we already found here a castle. In the 16th century, Charles de Melun owned the Bignon's seigneury and raised a fortress surrounded by water.
The Bignon belonged to count of Mirabeau (yep, the famous French was born here in 1749!) and then the old fortress was destroyed in 1850 and replaced by the current one.
It's actually a Neogothic and NeoRenaissance castle, styles people adored in the 19th and 20th centuries!
Did you know French poet Patrice de la Tour du Pin (1911-1975) spent his childhood at Bignon castle?
One of his family's member, of Irish origin, owned the estate few years after Mirabeau's death...
The poet was inspired by this peaceful place... Maybe you know his masterpieces, such as Quête de joie (1933) or Vie recluse en poésie (1938)?