Château de Pierrefonds ... - Secret World

Le Château, 60350 Pierrefonds, Francia

by Lara Kipling

The Château de Pierrefonds is one of France's most handsome and imposing medieval castles. Its white stones and towers with multi-level turrets on top give it a romantic atmosphere reminiscent of the ideal Cinderella castle. The imposing castle , located 80 km to the north-east of Paris, appears enchantingly around a bend in the road beside the Compiègne Forest. Built in the 12th century, the castle was destroyed in the 17th century then completely restored by the architect Viollet-le-Duc under the direction of Napoleon III.Although the exterior was rather faithfully reconstructed, Viollet-le-Duc created an idealised interior typical of the romantic period. The castle has been used for the shooting of many films, including Les Visiteurs (1993) and The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc (1999) by Luc Besson.