Château de Blandy-les-Tours

Blandy-les-Tours Castle, south of Melun in Seine-et-Marne, is one of the best preserved medieval fortresses in the Ile-de-France. Built in the 13th century and expanded in the 14th into a fortress with five massive towers and a moat, it belonged in the 15th century to the Viscounts of Melun. After centuries as a working farm it was extensively restored and in 1889 became one of the earliest listed monuments in France. Today the department uses the interior for rotating exhibitions on the Middle Ages and architecture, with stair routes leading up the tall towers for views over the Brie plain. Summer brings concerts and medieval festivals in the courtyard, popular with families.