The castle of Polignac

Undoubtedly occupied since antiquity, this site is the property of the Family of Polignac since XIème century. The strategic site ordered the roads in the West and the North of the city of Puy-in-Velay. During two centuries, the Viscounts of Polignac will oppose to the bishops of Puy in a fight without mercy in connection with tolls on the road of the pélerinages. The site is for a long time regarded as a crowned mountain. It is not thus astonishing to find here, on the height, Apollon, answering Anna, rules being in the church of the village downwards.

Two wells of the castle

The Viscounts of Polignac amménagé a cistern where drains ammenaient the water of ruisselement. This cistern goes up with the XII ème century. It is named “well of oracle”. A legend, whose Médicis is made the echo, reports that it was there that the Apollon god returned his oracles.

It was also told that there was formerly at the entry of the castle an underground gallery which came to lead to this cistern. It is at the entry of this gallery that those were received which wished to obtain an answer of the god. One even adds that the mask known as of Apollo, who is in the keep, covered curbstone of the well formerly.

One day came where the cistern proved to be insufficient and a well so deep was built that it is still named “the well of the abyss”. Entirely cut in the rock, it goes down up to the level the valley, 83 meters lower. It has a diameter of 6 meters. The withdrawn stones were used to build the keep…

For most sensitive, please pass the photograph of the interior of the well of the abyss, it emerges from the very pleasant things not hole…