At the heart of the Cantal mountains, stretches along a volcanic ridge that dominates the Dora Valley (one of thirteen valleys that radiate around the Puy Mary), the small village of Tournemire.
Tournemire, typical village of the region of a green area, with its beautiful houses of lava covered with slate or flagstone, was chosen, high honor among the most beautiful villages in France.
At its western end, below the small Romanesque church and as a figurehead, stands Anjony castle with its four round towers pointing to the sky.
The golden rule is to intimidate the enemy, to prevent him from attending the looting, the whole fortress displays a proud-to-side arm. Erecting its keep on the Dora Valley, the impressive castle Anjony plays this warrior Thurs.
A first castle, very old (1351), said Tournemire, was the stronghold of a chivalrous house used to hold the sword. There, fled at the height of the war Hundred Years, road Aymerigot Marchès, or Marcel, high Ugly fly and great fortresses taker. The owner, to get into the good graces of the Duke of Berry, took him prisoner and delivered him to justice the king who then hastened to make him beheaded and quartered do.
Peace settled when to 1439 the second castle was built by Ludwig II Anjony, companion Dunois and Joan of Arc, next rounds Tournemire whose family shared the manor since 1351. The two families chatelaines not endured coexistence and came into conflict: there was open war for two hundred years. The affair ended by a marriage, in 1623 and the departure of Tournemire. Completely fails, royal justice was never able to intervene.
With its 40 meters high, this reddish basalt castle is one of the most remarkable of the Haute-Auvergne. From an architectural perspective, this fortress is reduced to a dungeon surrounded by four corner towers and includes only a room deep. In the eighteenth century, a wing was added to the modest dimensions, fitted to the taste of the time. In the basement, vaulted cellar half-barrel is a powerful low room.
Inside, the castle retains a remarkable furniture including a large fireplace with the motto "Semper Fides Hic" ("Faith always here"), the Flemish tapestries and Aubusson, a canopy bed, an armchair " system "to extend it. The converted chapel in the southeast tower is decorated with frescoes (XVI) contained scenes from the life of Christ. On the second floor of the Preux room is decorated with frescoes showing Anjony Michel and his wife, Germaine de Foix, scale and costume of the late sixteenth, surrounded by nine knights. The courtroom on the third floor, covered by ribbed vaults, houses two large tapestries with a green Flanders (hunting scene with hounds). Through the loopholes of the walkway, the view is on the Dora Valley and the peak of the last round, it extends throughout the castle and the surrounding area.
The Romanesque village church (XV) has carved panels and a thorn from the Crown of Christ brought back from crusade.
