Identifier: castleschateauxo00mans (find matches)
Title: Castles and chateaux of old Burgundy and the border provinces
Year: 1909 (1900s)
Authors: Mansfield, Milburg Francisco, 1871- (from old catalog)
Subjects: Castles
Publisher: Boston, L. C. Page & company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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second story, and directly beneath the roofare posed four enormous heads, typifying thewinds of the four quarters. This interesting faQade, no less than thevague history which attaches to the house it-self, is in a comparative state of dilapidation.It seems a pity that in a city so poor in artisticshrines it were not better preserved and caredfor. But there it is — Valence again! As amatter of fact the lower floor is occupied by amean sort of a wine-shop, which assuredly castsan unseeming slur upon the proud position thatthe edifice once held. Nearly opposite the Maison des Tetes is thehouse where the young Napoleon lodged in1785-1786. Just above Valence, at the confluence of theIsere and the Rhone, is the magnificent feudalruin of Crussol, the guardian of the gatewayleading from the south to the north. It sits ata great height above the swirling waters of thecurrent on a peak of rock, and from the aspectof its projecting, fang-like gable is locally:known as the ** Come de Crussol.
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■^ By the Banks of the Rhone 299 For years this typical feudal castle and mili-tary stronghold of great power belonged tothe family of Crussol, the old Dues dUzes. Sovast was it originally in extent that it containeda whole village within its walls, and indeedthere was no other protection for those whocalled the duke master, as the castle had appro-priated to itself the entire mountain-top pla-teau. Oertainly Crussol must have been as nearlyimpregnable a fortress as any of its class everbuilt, for from its eastern flank one may dropdown a sheer thousand feet and then fall intothe whirlpool waters of the Ehone. This wassure and sudden death to any who might losetheir footing from above, but it was also anunscalable bulwark against attack. The panorama which opens out from theplatform of the ruined chateau is remarkableand extends from the Alps on the east to theCevennes on the west, and from the Vivaraison the north to the distant blue of the Vercorson the south, and perhaps, at time

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