Château de Carles
Carles de qui l’esprit recherche l’univers
Pour gage d’amitié je te donne ces vers
Afin que ton Bordeaux et ta large Garonne
Flottant contre ses bords ta louange résonne
Et ton nom par la France autant puisse voler
Que ce vers qui s’envole aux habitants de l’air
– Pierre Ronsard (1524 – 1585)
It is not often that I find a verse from Pierre de Ronsard (1524 – 1585) of relevance to a one of my Bordeaux profiles, but Château de Carles is no ordinary Bordeaux château, having a history which can be traced back to the 14th century, during which time the property hosted a number of France’s most notable cultural icons. And one among them was Pierre de Ronsard, whose writings have appeared on these pages before, although usually with more Ligérian themes. Having ben born on the banks of the Loir, many of Ronsard’s poems relate to the vineyards of the modern-day Coteaux du Loir and Jasnières appellations.
Nevertheless Pierre de Ronsard was well-connected, and evidently well-travelled, as his face was not unknown at Château de Carles (pictured below). From time to time he would visit here, and he would not be alone; other literary luminaries who have also laid their head beneath the rafters of Château de Carles include the writer Etienne de la Boétie (1530 – 1563), the philosopher Michel de Montaigne (1533 – 1592), the poetic priest Pontus de Tyrard (c.1521 – 1605) and the playwright Jean-Baptiste Rousseau (1671 – 1741), the latter renowned for his licentious verses which eventually resulted, after he failed to turn up in court to answer for his actions, in his exile from France.
Please log in to continue reading: