BITY CASTLE

In 1969, Jacques Chirac declared: "I bought this 16th century ruin for 200,000 francs, it's just a small manor house with six windows". "Yes, but on three floors," replied President Pompidou. Two months later, the site was listed as a historical monument. This 16th century castle, burnt down during the Wars of Religion, was rebuilt the following century by the Dupuy family, then housed resistance fighters and served as a hospital during the Second World War. The rectangular main building is marked by a square tower with a watchtower on cul-de-lampe at each corner. The Chirac property has always been well guarded...