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| · | The Castle With a Secret |
| 0:00 | · | [Music] |
| 0:09 | · | We are at a very special chateau in the |
| 0:12 | · | Lir Valley, Chateau de Brris. And it has |
| 0:16 | · | its genesis all the way back to around a |
| 0:18 | · | thousand years ago. What makes this |
| 0:20 | · | chateau so unique is not what you see |
| 0:24 | · | above ground, although that's amazing, |
| 0:26 | · | but it's what you see almost 20 m down |
| 0:29 | · | below. |
| 0:31 | · | [Music] |
| 0:36 | · | There is a whole chateau underground and |
| 0:40 | · | we're going to take you on a journey to |
| 0:43 | · | look at the largest underground fortress |
| 0:46 | · | in all of Europe. |
| 0:50 | · | [Music] |
| 1:00 | · | At first glance, Bris plays the part. |
| 1:03 | · | Creamy Tufa stone, sharp Renaissance |
| 1:06 | · | lines. But this isn't just a castle. |
| 1:09 | · | It's a Trojan horse. Noble on the |
| 1:11 | · | outside, savage underneath. They don't |
| 1:14 | · | build them like this anymore. In fact, |
| 1:16 | · | they didn't build any like this to begin |
| 1:18 | · | with. |
| 1:21 | · | This castle hides a secret in its gut. A |
| 1:24 | · | network of caves, tunnels, escape |
| 1:26 | · | routes, and underground lives carved |
| 1:28 | · | into limestone. A castle underneath a |
| 1:31 | · | castle. One for the kings, the other for |
| 1:34 | · | the crisis. It might not surprise you |
| 1:36 | · | that no one ever managed to seize the |
| 1:38 | · | castle. And that's most likely because |
| 1:40 | · | of the vast sprawl of troglodite tunnels |
| 1:43 | · | below that made enemies think twice. |
| 1:47 | · | It was well worth it to build a |
| 1:49 | · | deterrent to protect the treasure that |
| 1:51 | · | sits on the surface. The oldest parts of |
| 1:53 | · | the chateau date back to the 11th |
| 1:55 | · | century. But like anything ancient and |
| 1:58 | · | important in France, it's been passed |
| 2:00 | · | down, broken apart, stitched together |
| 2:03 | · | again like a well-worn cloak. Over time, |
| 2:07 | · | it became the stronghold of the Drew |
| 2:09 | · | Brees family. Then by marriage, the |
| 2:11 | · | Colbears, the right-hand man of Louis |
| 2:14 | · | the 14th, took over. The chateau, as we |
| 2:17 | · | see it today, took shape in the 16th and |
| 2:19 | · | 17th centuries, a blend of Gothic bones |
| 2:22 | · | and Renaissance frills. |
| 2:28 | · | You know, we know we're supposed to go |
| 2:29 | · | that way, but it's always intriguing to |
| · | Inside the Grand Salons |
| 2:32 | · | look at spots down here that are not |
| 2:35 | · | accessible, but you have to wonder, |
| 2:42 | · | more inaccessible |
| 2:45 | · | areas. This place has been in the hands |
| 2:48 | · | of power for centuries, and power |
| 2:50 | · | doesn't like to look vulnerable. |
| 2:53 | · | Inside the salons are classic |
| 2:55 | · | aristocratic theater |
| 2:58 | · | painted beams in ultramarine golden |
| 3:01 | · | floor dele oak woodwork carved into |
| 3:04 | · | gothic lancets and crowned with floral |
| 3:07 | · | finials. The trouidor style furniture a |
| 3:10 | · | sort of medieval play for 19th century |
| 3:13 | · | aristocrats who romanticize chivalry |
| 3:15 | · | more than they practiced it. This is the |
| 3:17 | · | apartment of the Drew Brees. It's less |
| 3:20 | · | of a living space, more of a statement. |
| 3:23 | · | A room that whispers, "We survived |
| 3:25 | · | revolutions and we still have our |
| 3:27 | · | dignity." |
| 3:29 | · | Some of the amazing detail on the |
| 3:31 | · | ceilings and the woodwork. A lot of |
| 3:34 | · | restoration has gone into this |
| 3:36 | · | particular section of the chateau. It is |
| 3:39 | · | just stunning. Tucked in the corner is a |
| 3:42 | · | room so small you could miss it if it |
| 3:44 | · | weren't screaming in Neo Renaissance |
| 3:46 | · | bravado. The bishop's study is a jewel |
| 3:49 | · | box of fake marble, painted kings, and a |
| 3:52 | · | lineage they made up but never painted |
| 3:55 | · | over. Isn't this absolutely stunning? |
| 4:00 | · | This is a private prayer area or a study |
| 4:02 | · | off the bishop's room. There was plans |
| 4:04 | · | at one point to connect a chapel here, |
| 4:07 | · | but they were never completed. But you |
| 4:10 | · | see, you can imagine what it what would |
| 4:13 | · | it looked like. Incredible detail. |
| 4:20 | · | Down the hall is the Rishlu room, named |
| 4:22 | · | for Arman Duplesi, Cardinal Rishlu, the |
| 4:25 | · | king's right hand and master political |
| 4:27 | · | manipulator. The Rishelu room blends |
| 4:30 | · | 16th century bones with 19th century |
| 4:32 | · | tribute, red deamasque walls, a grand |
| 4:35 | · | fireplace, and the echoes of a family |
| 4:37 | · | entangled in royal service, rebellion, |
| 4:40 | · | and quiet tragedy. Clare Clemens, once a |
| 4:43 | · | princess, fought for her husband during |
| 4:45 | · | the Frond and was left to die in |
| 4:47 | · | obscurity. History doesn't always |
| 4:49 | · | remember the ones who loved hardest, but |
| 4:51 | · | sometimes the wallpaper does. |
| 4:56 | · | Wow, what a fantastic room. This was a |
| 5:00 | · | room designed for Bishop Rishelu |
| 5:03 | · | and uh he did actually stay here and it |
| 5:06 | · | was a very special accommodations just |
| 5:08 | · | for a very powerful man in the 1600s in |
| 5:12 | · | France. A few steps further into the |
| 5:15 | · | hall is the portrait gallery where |
| 5:17 | · | generations of Drew Bris men watch you |
| 5:19 | · | from the walls like they're still |
| 5:21 | · | waiting for the king to call. Most were |
| 5:23 | · | grandmasters of ceremonies, basically |
| 5:25 | · | the royal protocol enforcers, running |
| 5:28 | · | the rituals of monarchy from Louis the |
| 5:30 | · | 14th to Charles I 10th. They handed |
| 5:32 | · | crowns, read speeches, arranged |
| 5:34 | · | coronations, and occasionally got yelled |
| 5:37 | · | at by revolutionaries. Here's one of the |
| 5:39 | · | Bris family. This is the Marque de |
| 5:42 | · | Brris, and he lived during 17 late 1700s |
| · | Descending Into the Underground |
| 5:46 | · | to early 1800s. |
| 5:49 | · | What a magnificent portrait. Another |
| 5:52 | · | incredible room. This great hall took |
| 5:55 | · | actually |
| 5:57 | · | 150 years to complete. It is |
| 5:59 | · | magnificent. |
| 6:01 | · | Here we are at the end of the great hall |
| 6:04 | · | and you see the continuation on the |
| 6:06 | · | cornice and on the walls and in the ways |
| 6:08 | · | coating the trumpy which the French are |
| 6:11 | · | famous for to give the illusion that |
| 6:13 | · | this was actually high relief uh |
| 6:16 | · | woodwork. But isn't it gorgeous? From |
| 6:19 | · | embroidered chairs to carved out |
| 6:21 | · | chambers, every chateau has a downstairs |
| 6:24 | · | it doesn't brag about. |
| 6:25 | · | You know, in a castle, one of our most |
| 6:27 | · | favorite places to visit is anything |
| 6:30 | · | underground, tunnels, secret passages |
| 6:33 | · | and dungeons. Let's go take a look at |
| 6:36 | · | where the dungeon used to exist. |
| 6:38 | · | Not every chateau had a dungeon, but |
| 6:40 | · | Bris built one deep enough to mean it. |
| 6:42 | · | You look at the heavy doors that were uh |
| 6:45 | · | locked. And this is one place if you |
| 6:48 | · | walked in, you probably aren't going to |
| 6:51 | · | come out. |
| 6:54 | · | So this is the dungeon. |
| 6:57 | · | [Music] |
| 7:04 | · | Wow. Can you imagine? |
| 7:08 | · | It's a pretty small space, but uh it is |
| 7:12 | · | not a place that you would want to come |
| 7:13 | · | to visit. It is fascinating to look at |
| 7:16 | · | how these were constructed. |
| 7:19 | · | So, here you are in a place that most |
| 7:22 | · | tourists never see. |
| 7:24 | · | Another dungeon cell |
| 7:27 | · | and take a look. This is the beginning |
| 7:28 | · | of the underground below Chateau De. |
| 7:32 | · | Let's see what we can see. |
| 7:35 | · | Another space |
| 7:38 | · | designed for storage or another cell on |
| 7:40 | · | the opposite side of the dungeon. |
| 7:44 | · | You know, during a hot summer day, it's |
| 7:46 | · | very cool in here, but that is not |
| 7:48 | · | enough motivation for me to ever want to |
| 7:50 | · | have been locked in here. |
| 7:53 | · | The dungeon was there to keep certain |
| 7:55 | · | impulses in check because deeper down, |
| 7:57 | · | Breant business. |
| 8:00 | · | Welcome to the underworld. While most |
| 8:03 | · | Chateau had sellers, Bris went full |
| 8:06 | · | mole. Over 3 km of underground passages, |
| 8:09 | · | rooms, stables, bakeries, even a silk |
| 8:13 | · | farm, all hollowed into soft tufa |
| 8:16 | · | limestone. Think of it as a medieval |
| 8:18 | · | panic room the size of a village. Some |
| · | 3km of Medieval Tunnels |
| 8:21 | · | of these caves date back to the 11th |
| 8:23 | · | century, maybe earlier. |
| 8:26 | · | This was a fortress before it was a |
| 8:28 | · | chateau. During the Hundred Years War, |
| 8:30 | · | when the English were playing house all |
| 8:32 | · | over France, the people of Bre took the |
| 8:35 | · | fight underground. You don't build |
| 8:37 | · | tunnels like this for fun. You do it |
| 8:39 | · | because you're afraid and smart. |
| 8:43 | · | So, we're continuing to descend below |
| 8:45 | · | Chateau de Brris. There's over 3 |
| 8:48 | · | kilometers of tunnels, rooms, secret |
| 8:51 | · | passages, storage, all sorts of rooms |
| 8:54 | · | that were designed very methodically. If |
| 8:57 | · | you look at the arches, you see this |
| 9:00 | · | wasn't just an ordinary tunnel. This was |
| 9:02 | · | very methodical. |
| 9:05 | · | There are so many passages and rooms. |
| 9:09 | · | This room, this was designed under Bris |
| 9:12 | · | in order to protect the inhabitants from |
| 9:14 | · | sieges, from epidemics, uh from anything |
| 9:18 | · | that they needed protection. In fact, |
| 9:20 | · | these tunnels, there is only one |
| 9:22 | · | entrance from the chateau and one |
| 9:25 | · | entrance on the other side in order to |
| 9:27 | · | minimize the ability for invaders or |
| 9:31 | · | enemies to come in. |
| 9:34 | · | So, here we are in another storage area |
| 9:37 | · | underneath about 20 to 30 meters |
| 9:39 | · | underneath Chateau de Brris. Each one of |
| 9:42 | · | these openings were actually go all the |
| 9:45 | · | way to the surface where they would |
| 9:48 | · | store grain. You can see right through |
| 9:50 | · | here there was actually an area that was |
| 9:53 | · | designed for grain storage. And you see |
| 9:56 | · | some there are light shafts. You'd think |
| 9:58 | · | it would be dark underground all the |
| 10:00 | · | time. There is certainly artificial |
| 10:02 | · | light, but the reality is they were very |
| 10:04 | · | thoughtful in designing light shaft. So |
| 10:07 | · | there was natural light coming into each |
| 10:10 | · | one of these areas of the of the tunnel. |
| 10:13 | · | [Music] |
| 10:15 | · | All right, we're going to continue this |
| 10:17 | · | journey. |
| 10:18 | · | The tunnels twist like intestines. You |
| 10:21 | · | walk single file, brushing cold, damp |
| 10:24 | · | stone, and you think, who in the world |
| 10:26 | · | lived like this? Everyone at Braz. It |
| 10:29 | · | feels like this wasn't just a castle |
| 10:32 | · | under a castle. It was a city. They had |
| 10:34 | · | a wine press, kept livestock, had |
| 10:37 | · | kitchens, ovens. Imagine baking your |
| 10:39 | · | daily bread under 30 ft of rock while |
| 10:42 | · | the real world continued above. It's |
| 10:44 | · | ingenious. The people of Bris didn't |
| 10:46 | · | just hide, they adapted. They built a |
| 10:49 | · | parallel world, preparing for the worst |
| 10:52 | · | while hoping for better. It's almost |
| 10:54 | · | post-apocalyptic in feeling. Except this |
| 10:56 | · | was the Middle Ages, and the apocalypse |
| 10:58 | · | showed up regularly. |
| 11:00 | · | And when you come back up out of the |
| 11:03 | · | earth and into the dry mode, it's |
| 11:04 | · | jarring. You blink in the sunlight like |
| 11:06 | · | you've timeraveled in a way you have. |
| 11:15 | · | [Music] |
| 11:19 | · | France is full of castles. Too many, |
| 11:21 | · | some say, but few will stick with you |
| 11:24 | · | like Brez. Not because it dazzles, but |
| 11:27 | · | because it humbles. It makes you wonder |
| 11:29 | · | what you'd build if the world turned |
| 11:31 | · | upside down. Would you carve a refuge in |
| 11:33 | · | stone? Would you defend it? Would you |
| 11:36 | · | survive? Or would you pour a glass of |
| 11:38 | · | wine, sit in the dark, and wait for |
| 11:40 | · | morning? It's a question Brise poses and |
| 11:43 | · | one worth reflecting on. |
| 11:47 | · | Thanks for coming along. If you want |
| 11:49 | · | more stories from the hidden corners and |
| 11:51 | · | extravagant hallways of France's |
| 11:53 | · | magnificent chateau, subscribe, leave a |
| 11:56 | · | comment, or better yet, book a train |
| 11:58 | · | ticket and see for yourself. We'll be |
| 12:00 | · | waiting. |
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