If you like your castles to be brooding and dramatic then this one’s for you. Perched on a rocky peninsula along one of the ancient major trade routes of Europe, the Chateau de Joux tells a tale of a thousand years of military history.
A visit here is not for the faint-hearted, those who have mobility issues and definitely no pushchairs. There are no lifts or ramps, you have to get into the castle via steep stairs. It's worth it though because this isn't like any other castle. "Here we dream of history" said Francois Miterrand when he visited and he's right, this place feels alive with the past - 1000 years worth.
It was also once a prison “the little sister of the Bastille” says the guide. It made the hair stand up on the back of my neck just to think about those who have been locked up in this chateau. There have been many, including the unfortunate Berthe de Joux, wife of a crusader. Believeing he was dead she fell in love with one of his companions. Alas the husband returned, killed the lover and locked his wife in a tower where she stayed until he died.
You can visit the cell where prisoners were held and when the guide turns out the light, the darkness weighs like a tangible horror, totally dark and silent, you can't help but shudder.
There are no glamorous furnishings, no gardens to walk through - this is the bad boy of castles with seriously impressive views to match and kids will love its dramatic story. Parents might like to visit nearby Pontarlier afterwards where absinthe is made!
Open April - November, guided tour only, see the website for events and night time tours.
Chateau de Joux, Haut-Doubs
Photo: Christopher Cage