The Chateau de Turenne lies mostly in ruins, but the remaining keep and Tour de Cesar with accompanying spectacular views makes the walk up to the castle worth it.
Formerly the seat of very powerful lords (so powerful they were virtually independent of the French monarchy), in 1738 the viscounty was sold to the French king to settle gambling debts. The king dismantled the castle, with only an impressive keep and the Tour de Cesar remaining, but the hilltop it sits on hosts beautiful gardens and the climb up the Tour yields a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside. And the walk up through the town has its own charm; the town is protected as one of the “Plus Beau Villages” in France, and hasn’t changed substantially in centuries.
An easy walk from our house, there’s no set path up through the town but you can wander upwards and around, and eventually you will find the entrance to the castle grounds. There’s a small entry fee.