Fougères – A spectacular journey back in time

Left behind by the rush of skyscraper-life, time abandoned the village of Fougères somewhere in the late 15th century. The immense cathedral spears the sky, and the trees on the hillsides dwarf the castle in the valley.

Inside the castle walls, ruins scatter the ground. The imposing towers spiral up out of the debris.

One of them bears the sinister name of Goblin Tower. The stairs to this particular one are steep and narrow. However, the view from the top makes up for the strenuous climb. It reveals a hidden lake on the opposite side of the castle.

The brilliant gardens behind the cathedral of St. Leonard were full of ferns. We wondered if this was how the village got its name – Fougères means ferns in French.

We peered over a low stone wall which encircled the upper level of the gardens. Below rested the castle, with its towers and ramparts rising above the rooftops.

Along the hodgepodge of streets runs the river Nançon, which creates the moat of the castle. The stone houses lining it add to the medieval air. We half expected a knight on horseback to come riding down the sloping streets, or a noble lady to sweep down with her train of servants to stay at the castle.

The feeling of being caught in the middle ages encompasses the entire district near the castle, and it is only the cars lining the streets that draw the mind back to reality.