Val, a fairytale castle set on the water, jewel of Limousin

It is one of the jewels of Limousin. Our exceptional heritage series takes us to discover the Château de Val, between Auvergne and Limousin. Imposing 15th century building whose thick walls are flush with the water of the Bort-les-Orgues dam reservoir. A legendary place which notably hosted a great film star…

Winter mists and frost might give the impression of being in Scotland, yet we are at Château de Val, between Auvergne and Limousin. A 15th century castle^e century which belongs to the Corrèze commune of Bort-les-Orgues.

Val has been on the edge of the Bort-les-Orgues reservoir since the construction of the dam from 1944 to 1953, filled with water in 1951. The dam being built, the castle, like the entire valley, found itself surrounded by water. A heritage which could have disappeared, drowned under the waves.

“In fact, the first projects for building the dam were to drown the castle, recalls the castle guide, Richard Espinasse. Luckily, nature being well done, the rock on the sides of the dam turned out to be too friable. The wall was lowered by around ten meters. The castle, fortunately, was saved. Since that time, the valley has been transformed into this magical place.”

For twenty years that he has worked there, Richard Espinasse has known every nook and cranny of the Château de Val. A castle that can be visited most of the year except during winter, a place where you can also stay.

A lodge has been created within this castle which allows people to pretend to be lords and come and spend the night in the old stables of the castle.

Richard Espinasse

Val Castle guide

Every year, the town of Bort-les-Orgues organizes, in collaboration with the Christiane Vallé gallery in Clermont-Ferrand, a summer exhibition.

“Since 1974, the floors where the former rooms of the nobility were have been transformed into an exhibition space. Look, a lithograph by Picasso, marvels Richard Espinasse. This summer, we hosted the “Artistic Crossings” painting exhibition, including works by Pablo Picasso, Chagall, Keith Harring, Bernard Buffet, Ben, Philippe Geluck.”

At the very top of the castle, under the roofs, the framework, of exceptional longevity.

“This frame is 600 years old. The process was very important, explains our guide Richard Espinasse. Already the trees were not cut down haphazardly. We cut at the moon to respect the rise of sap in the wood at that time. It is oak exclusively on everything that is load-bearing wood on the castle. Afterwards, the wood was sent down the Dordogne river to the island of Aix, on the Atlantic Ocean where the wood soaked for 40 years in sea water.

A soaking which ensured the oak solidity and durability.

In a place inaccessible to visitors, a terrace, closed to visitors, allows you to see the different roofs of the Château de Val up close.

Three types of roofs. Bourbonnaise mechanical tile, Lauze on the front side of the castle and we finish with the shingle which is chestnut tile on two small towers of the castle.

Richard Espinasse

Val Castle guide

At the foot of one of the castle towers, overlooking the water reservoir of the Bort-les-Orgues dam. A wall that an illustrious actor climbed at the risk of his life, without any abseiling rope.

“Jean Marais came to Château de Val in 1959 for the filming of the film Le Capitan” by director André Hunebelle, very well known at that time, specifies Richard Espinasse. The actor climbed the castle tower by planting daggers in the joints of the stones which had not been redone at the time. This is a very famous stunt from an early swashbuckling film. The film was released in 1960.

A Val castle which welcomes more or less some 40,000 curious people each year. Currently, it is on winter break, but it will reopen its doors in February.