France Castles # 2 : Château de Puymartin, Dordogne, Nouvelle-Aquitaine

Where there is a crumbling old château, there must also be a pilfering poltergeist, sinister specter, or perhaps even the ghost of a decapitated Marie Antoinette roaming the hallowed hallways.

There are over 40,000 châteaux in France, many of which have endured a colorful history of revolution, religious conflicts, and wars that lasted up to a hundred years, so is it any wonder that there are more than a couple of ghosts lurking in these turreted towers?

All châteaux worth their salt have a Dame Blanche or White Lady.

In the 16th century, the lady of the castle Thérèse de Saint-Clar was lonely while her husband was away at war. We’d imagine castles were pretty cold at the time, so she found someone else to warm the bed.

Unfortunately for Thérèse, her husband returned unexpectedly, and finding his wife in the arms of another man, he flew into a terrible rage.

He killed the man and imprisoned Thérèse in the north tower, where she stayed even after her death.

Thérèse’s ghost still prowls the north wing, gliding up and down the stairs and pacing the circular rooms, always around the time that the clock strikes midnight.

Fodor’s Travel / ABC Flash Point News 2025.