Étampes' Guinette Tower: Last Vestige of a Royal Castle Reopens September 2026
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Étampes' Guinette Tower: the Last Vestige of a Royal Castle Reopens in September 2026
The Guinette Tower (Tour de Guinette) still looms over Étampes, impassive and a little mysterious, as if it has been watching over the town for nearly nine centuries. The tower — a former royal keep perched on its promontory — is preparing to emerge from its long slumber and reopen its doors to the public. As the last vestige of the royal castle of Étampes, this emblematic monument of Essonne could be on the verge of a renaissance.
Built in the early 12th century, the Guinette Tower was part of a vast royal castle commissioned by King Louis VI the Fat. At the time, Étampes was a major strategic stronghold of the Kingdom of France, sitting on a key commercial and political axis between Paris and the south of the realm. The massive, circular keep alone symbolised royal authority and the site's defensive power.
Originally some thirty metres high, the tower served as an observation post, a refuge and a last line of defence in the event of siege. Its sober architecture, typical of the early Capetian keeps, is characterised by extremely thick walls and a commanding position, designed to impress as much as to protect.
Over the centuries, the castle of Étampes was progressively dismantled. Wars, abandonment, the salvaging of stones... time and man took their toll on the fortified complex. The Guinette Tower, however, resisted. It remains today the last visible witness to that prestigious royal past, isolated but still standing.
Closed to the public since 2018 for safety reasons, the tower has undergone extensive restoration. It celebrates its reopening in September 2026 for the Journées du Patrimoine (Heritage Days) with a weekend of free events.
After several years of restoration, the Guinette Tower will welcome the public back on 19 and 20 September 2026 for the Heritage Days — an event honouring one of the great witnesses to Étampes' medieval history.
Dates and times: from 19 September 2026 to 31 December 2029
Location: Tour de Guinette, 1 Promenade de Guinette, 91150 Étampes
Official website: www.fondation-patrimoine.org
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