building a castle

[bjd]

Here is something from FrenchMystiquetour, and all you who are interested in history or old castles:

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/europe/10440300.stm

[bixaorellana]

That is absolutely enthralling! I would so much love to see it in real life.

The Chateau de Guédelon has a website with an excellent, high definition video that takes you right up close to the details of the building and the workers and their methods, plus gives an excellent idea of how it is located. www.guedelon.fr/

[Deleted]

Every time I read an article about it, I promise myself that I will go and see it... and then I promptly forget about it, even where it is....

[bixaorellana]

They have a farm, too, with piggys and everything!

You can also visit Saint Fargeau ~~

10 minutes from Guédelon.
Between the Loire and l'Yonne, the small town Saint Fargeau is Puisaye's history capital. Less than two hours away from Paris, the Castle of Saint Fargeau stands pridely in a belt full of charm and mystery.

You can help them correct their English in grand surroundings

[frenchmystiquetour]

I've got some pictures that I took when I was there a few years ago. It has really come quite a ways in a few years. Everything needed for the castle construction is made right on site, including the tools. I couldn't believe how much the tools looked just like something you would find at the hardware store today.

Just seeing all the little work areas for every type of job spread out around the castle and into the woods (where the lowly people collect wood to make charcoal for the iron forges). Nothing is imported. The only modern feature is the scaffolding. Some stupid safety law required modern scaffolding even though they had proved that their wooden medieval scaffolding was safer and more structurally sound. Really, I can't say enough about how fascinating this place was. Definitely go if you get the chance.

I also visited the nearby town of Saint Fargeau to see the castle, owned by the man responsible for Guedelon. I had previously seen Saint Fargeau featured on the TV5 program La Carte aux Tresors. We were eating lunch at the entrance to the castle and the owner happened to walk out of the castle and past us. I wanted to say something to him but I didn't know what, so I chickened out.

I'll look for my photos and post a few here.

[bixaorellana]

That would be a major treat, FMT!

I noticed in one of the videos that a smelter was wearing a welder's mask. That may have been a safety law, or it could have been a person who decided his eyesight was more important than historic verisimilitude.

Does anyone remember a couple of decades ago there was an experiment in dark ages or medieval living in England? (I'll see if I can find out what happened to that.) Is there anything similar going on in relation to the building of this castle -- people living on site in pre-industrial age conditions?

[frenchmystiquetour]

From what I remember, Bixa, everyone working here was living on site (not full time, of course) in the same conditions they would have centuries ago. Really, aside from safety requirements, there was nothing from the modern world allowed on site (except maybe clothes).

[Deleted]

Jul 1, 2010 12:20:10 GMT frenchmystiquetour said:

From what I remember, Bixa, everyone working here was living on site (not full time, of course) in the same conditions they would have centuries ago. Really, aside from safety requirements, there was nothing from the modern world allowed on site (except maybe clothes).

toilet paper?

[bjd]

On the original video, some of the workers seemed dressed for the part, but one guy was wearing jeans. I think too that on the video, it was mentioned that it started as a project to ease unemployment in the area. Did they mention in the job specifications that people would have to live like in the 14th century?

[frenchmystiquetour]

Kerouac - Good question. Once my French language skills have improved I plan on volunteering at the castle and I'll let you know if I'm able to maintain my modern dignity. When I raise my hand to go to the bathroom I hope I'm not given a shovel and handful of leaves.

bjd - Yes, it did start as a project to ease unemployment in the area and I believe living in medieval conditions was something which all participants were made aware of. And it is actually a 13th, not 14th, century castle. It amazes me that back then those castles were generally complete in less than a few years.

[bixaorellana]

Jul 1, 2010 16:26:03 GMT frenchmystiquetour said:

It amazes me that back then those castles were generally complete in less than a few years.

Many hands make light the work! ( :

If you went and volunteered now, the total immersion should make your French improve furiously. Just don't come back saying the French equivalent of "prithee" or "methinks", okay?

When I looked at the video in the first link, my cynical thought was, "I'll bet those carpenters are wearing jeans and t-shirts. But the first guy they showed had on a belted tunic and leggings. I don't know if he was using those pointy shoes we see in pictures. You can see that many of the workers have on sneakers.

What's interesting about the castle project creating jobs for local workers is that it must have meant workers learning or inventing ways to adapt their skills to 13th century needs. For instance, I wonder if they have leather workers to make appropriate footwear. Also, I think leather was sometimes used as hinges or to clad items for durability.

I find the whole thing immensely fascinating.

[frenchmystiquetour]

Before they accept anyone for a volunteer position you have to be able to speak French, so on the job language lessons are not an option, unfortunately. I'm also preoccupied with more important matters than castle building right now too. In a few years I think I'll have the time and language ability.

I believe there are people on site crafting leather products but I can't recall for certain. There's so much authenticity in what they are doing I'll excuse them for the few modern conveniences that are allowed such as clothes, scaffolding and bathroom dignity.

[Deleted]

If you can't make it to the castle in France, there's always the site in Arkansas. More here. Guaranteed French.

[fumobici]

I just Google image searched that Arkansas project and honestly it looks like a pile of poorly stacked rocks that will never amount to anything with an admission gate set up to take people's money.

[bixaorellana]

Knock me over with a feather!

This is fascinating, so I looked up more about it. Here is a video:
online.wsj.com/video/a-medieval-castle-in-the-arkansas-ozarks/762C2B33-B1D3-47AF-A703-F78F5A1D6603.html

Here are lots of pictures and more detail:
jimlongsgarden.blogspot.com/2010/05/really-french-castle-in-ozarks.html

Reading about the castle in Arkansas triggered one of those dimly remembered facts, which is that "castles" used to be dotted around the midwest US. I even knew someone who grew up in one in Ohio. Also, doesn't Kurt Vonnegut incorporate a midwestern castle into more than one of his books?

[frenchmystiquetour]

I think the guy that is behind these castle projects is my new hero.

Bixa - Other than the "castles" in the Hudson river valley and a few other well known imitations I had no idea that there were once castles in the mid-west. Interesting.

[Deleted]

I think that big industrialists have always had a weakness for castles, even anachronistic ones. That's why even some of the big old time factories looked like medieval fortresses.

[bixaorellana]

After I said that, I figured I'd better check it out. I think Fmt might have the right idea about putting "castles" in quotes:

Piatt Castle, travel.webshots.com/album/157030382Fogqjy and www.piattcastles.org/index.htm

And in line with what Kerouac says in #16, open this interesting site: www.tourism-review.com/fm97/her_5.pdf

But this link is the most fun: www.dupontcastle.com/castles/
Some of the interior links take you to stuff such as an unfortunate contemporary castle-styled house that's for sale, but clicking through is a little romp through an eccentric aspect of the US. And, if that weren't enough to make your heart leap, there's a special page for Canada, too!

Hungry for more? Here is the google hits page.

[frenchmystiquetour]

We visited some of the Hudson valley castles a few years ago and they really are a testament to people with a whole lot of money but not a whole lot of taste. I mean they were opulent and luxuriant but they seemed so artificial. Lots of craftsmanship went into their making but they really just look so out of place. I think we liked some but not others. I can't remember. I lived close to the Newport mansions and I get the same feeling from most of them as well.

Bixa, I loved that guy who is building his own, um, castle. I just love eccentric people. On some level I think they are geniuses. They're always having such a good time and they make everyone around them smile and feel happy. It's nice to see people so fully realizing their dreams and not afraid to let fantasy become reality. My friend who I built the wall for back in the U.S. just so happens to be one of these people.

[cristina]

I just tripped into this thread and am so intrigued by the Guédelon project. Although I have to imagine that certain safety advances might be prudent. I can't debate the merits of 15th century scaffolds vs today's, but I imagine modern day boots might prevent loss of toes as would some other slightly modern accessories. However I feel compelled to add that leaves worked perfectly fine when I was a Girl Scout in the 20th century.

Some years ago, I had the pleasure of living through a hurricane and the resulting 2 weeks without electricity. My children were very young then and we had a lot of fun trying to figure out how to live without appliances. Of course I had no need to build anything at the time, but the experience reinforced the idea (especially for me), that we can do an awful lot without technology.

Bathing was another story. We were pretty ripe at the end of two weeks.

[joanne28]

Bixa, were you thinking of this program? I watched it and it was quite interesting. A reality show with a twist.

www.megalithic.co.uk/article.php?sid=2146410330

I also watched "The Victorian House" and a couple of episodes of a show about living on the prairies 150 (?) years ago(can't remember the name). I am always fascinated by how people lived and did things but am always grateful for my modern life, particularly all things medical.

[bixaorellana]

Thanks for that, Joanne! I didn't know about the newest one. The one I remembered was from the 70s.

Some of that article sounds like the outline for a sit-com!

If you remember the name about the prairies program, I'd love to know it so I can try to find it online. I too love stuff about daily life back-when, but worship at the altar of electricity and plumbing and all that.

I think you would really like the book reviewed here at #436.