A thousand years old castle...

Welcome to the official Internet site of the castle of Villebois- Lavalette

in the department of the Charente

A thousand year old castle, set at the top of a village listed as « Petite Cité de Caractère »,

birthplace and capital of the famous local delicacy « the cornuelle »

This thousand year old castle which has known many lives, commands a superb panorama

of rolling hills which can be admired from the promenade at the top of Puy Sanseau.

Careful! Most of the guided tour takes place outdoors. When it is hot don't forget to take your hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, water... And when it is rainy, don't forget your umbrella!

Information : 05 45 62 28 44 - 06 87 70 05 78 - infochateaupatrimoinevillebois@orange.fr

October 2024 :

CLOSED ON MONDAY (all day) and TUESDAY AND SUNDAY MORNINGS

From Wednesday to Saturday : open from 11AM to 1PM and 2.30PM to 5.30PM. Last non-guided tour starts at 12.30PM and 5.15PM.

On Tuesday and Sunday afternoons, open from 2.30PM to 5.30PM.

Sunday and Tuesday mornings are up for reservation, so the castle will be closed if you don't book your tour.

if you find the doors closed on those days, call us at 05 45 62 28 44 // 06 87 70 05 78 // 06 74 20 78 13

Halloween 2024

For Halloween, the castle wears the cape of horror : for four afternoon and nights, witches, ghosts, zombies and ghouls are invading the castle. From Oct 30 to Nov 02, the afternoons are reserved for the Halloween activities and thus, no tours, guided and non-guided, will be available. However, the castle will be open in the morning of these days for regular tours.

Afternoon : "Witches' Hammer". Three women of science have been accused of witchcraft after the Lord of Villebois fell sick. You have to help them escape the Inquisitor and save the Lord !

4 sessions per afternoon : 2pm, 3pm, 4pm and 5pm.

Evening : "The Castle of Damned Souls". Not quite a haunted house, this little trip to horror will make you discover the castle differently. Caution to the fragile hearts, the damned souls might keep you and make you one of them...

Evenings sessions from 8pm to 12am : 8pm, 8.40pm, 9.20pm, 10pm, 10.40pm and 11.20pm.

Both of these activities are in french. Booking is strongly advised

Escape Game "The School of Magic of Puy Sanseau" is now available in english

The secret world of the "Magicians" is at risk of being revelead to the "Without Magiv" (people who don't have magical power). The breaking point between the two worlds is situated in the famous magic school of the Puy Sanseau which to ward off the danger has opened its doors to the Non-magicians.

Trickery and a cunning mind will help you defeat the danger and protect the peace between the two worlds !

In 2023, reservation all-year long from Monday to Saturday. Started at 8yo. Duration : 1h30.

Starting at 6 people and up to 16 people, played in teams (four teams of four). Exceptionnally up to 20 people (five teams of four).

We will discuss the teams : you can come with your own team or play with the other players.

Prices

Adult : 16€/person

Child : 13€/person

Group (+12 person) : 13€/person

Created by Les Echappées Vertes in partnership with the Friends of the Castle and the Heritage of Villebois-Lavalette. Must be booked in advance ! Contact us : 05 45 62 28 44 - 06 87 70 05 78

Or infochateaupatrimoinevillebois@orange.fr

Other activities in the castle (only in french at the moment)

We have now several activities to discover the castle in a new way - mainly escape games and mysterious investigation. In partnership with Les Echappées Vertes, we have three differents games to offer :

The magic of the Puy Sanseau : invited in a magic school, fight against the force of evil and let yourselves be bewitched by the castle... for the magic and non-magic world need you !

Come challenge the castle : The history of the castle is long so long... Between these walls walk the ghosts of the past, trapped in the castle... Will you come challenge them ?

The mystery of the Cornuelles : investigate, rummage, find the culprit of the disappearance of the baker man Honoré Cornélius the only one who possess an exceptional recipe...

Giant Cluedo : A murder was comitted... investigate to fin the culprit, the weapon, the place and the reason !

The Pipoles : The castle is the place to be! 15 VIPs have scattered informations inside the castle... Find them to enter the VIP nightclub !

More informations (prices, reservation) in the Tab "Escape Game" !

Born in 2016 by OTPHT de Villebois-Lavalette, this website informs you about visits and activities organized by the association

"Friends of the Castle and Heritage of Villebois-Lavalette and its partners (Coordination by the association)

Photo credit (background image): Don McCrae for Studio Lavalette

Other photos the friends of the castle and the heritage of Villebois Lavalette. (C.G.M)