Medieval Keep Built By A Fairy In The Night

Medieval history is full of legend and myth. Some argue that the stories handed down over the centuries must have had an element of truth in them to have withstood the test of time. Others argue that fiction was as popular in medieval times as it is now. There is no clear answer.

What is clear, however, is that there is tangible history associated with medieval legend. Take for example, the Melusine Tower - a medieval castle keep in Vouvant in the Vendee SW France. According to local legend, it was built by the fairy Melusine in a single night. In actual fact (and that's all historians can talk about!) it was built by the powerful Lusignan family - heirs to the realm of Guy de Lusignan who was a medieval knight and fought at the side of Richard The Lionheart.

We were lucky enough to visit Vouvant and here are 2 video clips of footage we took ...

Melusine Tower, Castle Keep
This clip is a distance shot showing the tower in its context within the village


Melusine Tower and medieval curtain wall
This clip is a close up and pans across the medieval curtain wall showing its height above the village.

Visit our medieval castles channel on YouTube.