My favorite castles have always been what we called Château Forts, which can really be translated as Fortified Castle. I never could find an actual definitive translation, but I think that will do. They are the castles of the Medieval Period.
Having grown up in France for the first 12 years of my life, seeing old stone and fortified structures was normal, and kids are still kids in Europe, most of us liked role playing some kind of knight or Robin Hood and Royalty. The games could be endless, especially in a time when climbing on Ruins wasn't against the law or parents seemed to freak out a lot less about danger!
We used to climb everywhere...
Scource, Click on the scource if you want to learn all about it, it's their website!
So a few years ago I discovered a project a few people had taken on. Their idea was to take to build a castle with 13th century techniques and tools. They set out to find a team of 50 builders, took over a disused quarry surrounded by forest and started building a 13th century castle. The plans and blue print for this castle is completely new, there aren't some lost piece of architecture that was never built or was never finished. The design is based on what Philip Augustus of the 12th and 13th century had built.
The place is so inspiring, especially for those of us who enjoy old skills. It's like a whole diy thing. To the left of the castle is the quarry, next to that there's a stonemason workshop. To the right of the castle is a blacksmith working away making the tools needed for building this massive undertaking! Once in a while you will see a horse drawn carriage bringing entire tree trucks to the carpenters shop to be turned into anything from rafters to shingles.
You can also see people making tiles for the roof and for the floors. Clay plays a big role here as do all the elements of this environment. As you walk through the giant construction site, every structure is something to pay attention to. If you like natural building techniques, there are a lot of skills to be observed.
We are starting to build ourmulti-family homestead for artists and anarchist who want to get back to the land, so you can imagine how exciting this place is for us...so many ideas for shelters, or workshops and gardens!!!!
Here are a few photos from our second trip there
They've been working on this thing now for 20 years. It's set up now as a tourist attraction but it is something to see. It may as well be one of the wonders of the world... Where else will you see 21st century humans work at such a slow pace with outdated tool? Actually... I can think of a few countries where I have seen people still using what seemed to be old, old skills
Though, in our time these may become Needed Skills again. Learn to swim, learn to adapt and learn that change is good...
It's not a question of the earth's survival, she is strong AF, but of our own!
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