The old castle at sunrise

Pierrefonds Castle has a rich and complex history dating back to the Middle Ages. It was built in the 14th century by Louis d'Orléans, brother of King Charles VI of France, on the ruins of an older castle. After being besieged and then dismantled at the beginning of the 17th century by the troops of Louis XIII, the castle remained in ruins until the 19th century when Napoleon III asked the architect Viollet-le-Duc to restore it. This will use innovative reconstruction techniques to restore the damaged parts of the castle.
© Hemis/Alamy