Château-Neuf – New Castle

This castle’s history is closely linked to that of the city. In 1152, Aquitaine, the region encompassing Bayonne, came under English rule following the marriage of the Duchess of Aquitaine to King Henry II of Plantagenet. The British ruled over Aquitaine for 3 centuries, until France reclaimed it in 1451, at the end of the Hundred Years’ War. Yet the constant threat of invasion from English and Spanish forces alike, meant that the city had to be better protected. King Charles VII thus ordered the construction of the Château-Neuf atop the remains of the old English fortifications. During the Wars of Religion in the 16th century, the castle was reinforced, as were the fortifications. The following century, Louis XIV commissioned the renowned military architect Vauban to further reinforce the city’s defenses and expand the castle which served as barracks until the 1980s. You can see its two round towers, dominating the skyline in a display of the power of the Kingdom of France. Today, the Château Neuf houses part of the Basque Museum but is not open to the public. As for the square you’re in, it’s named after Paul Bert, and during the Fêtes de Bayonne, it transforms into a real bullring.