Bioul Castle: A Historic Medieval Stronghold in Belgium

Visitor Information

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Official Website: www.chateaudebioul.be

Country: Belgium

Civilization: Unclassified

Remains: Military

History

Bioul Castle is located in the municipality of Anhée in modern Belgium. Its origins trace back to the early medieval period when it was established by local European noble families as a fortified stronghold. The earliest known construction dates from the 10th century, beginning with a tower that formed part of a defensive castle.

During the 11th to 13th centuries, the castle belonged to the Orbais family, who developed it into a quadrangular farming complex. In the 13th century, ownership passed through marriage to the de Jauche family. In the 15th century, the de Jauche faced severe financial difficulties, including payments for ransoms, which compelled them to mortgage the property. This led to a period of neglect, and the castle gradually fell into disrepair.

In 1522, Jean de Hosden acquired the estate but quickly sold it to Thierry de Brandebourg. The new owner undertook significant reconstruction, including rebuilding the castle tower in 1523, as commemorated by a Gothic-style inscription at the site. However, in 1554, during conflicts involving France, the castle was set ablaze by troops under King Henri II. Following this destruction, the Brandebourg family shifted the building’s purpose from a military fortress to an elegant residential manor.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, the castle changed hands several times. It was owned by the Bilquin family starting in 1708, then passed to the Moreau family, notable ironmasters, who held it until 1870. Afterward, the Moretus-de Theux and Plantin families became its owners. By the early 20th century, the castle belonged to the Vaxelaire family.

François Vaxelaire, the founder of the Au Bon Marché department stores, commissioned architects Edmond Franken-Willemaers and Léon Cabarche to renovate the castle in a style reminiscent of the 16th century. After François’s death, his sons inherited the property in 1920.

During World War I, in August 1914, the castle served as headquarters for Colonel Philippe Pétain, who later became Marshal of France. He used the castle as a command center prior to the Battle of Dinant. At that time, a Belgian high command war council convened in the outbuildings of the castle amid the German army’s encirclement of the region.

Following the war, the castle remained a site of military and political significance, hosting prominent figures such as Pétain and Charles de Gaulle during commemorations in 1927. In 1956, François Vaxelaire’s grandson undertook restoration work on both the castle and its grounds, collaborating with landscape architect René Pechère. The estate has remained in the hands of the Wyckmans-Vaxelaire family since then.

Remains

Bioul Castle presents a largely limestone construction dating from the early 16th century, reflecting a style that balances defensive features with residential grandeur. The overall layout is expansive and incorporates both fortified elements and landscaped grounds, making it one of the largest castle complexes in its region.

The castle’s entrance is marked by an impressive porch that leads onto a wide avenue lined with linden trees. This path culminates at a large carriage gate piercing the main building, suggesting the importance of formal arrivals and access. Evidence remains of a defensive moat before the outer side of the façade, with preserved loopholes—narrow vertical openings through which defenders could fire—and slots intended for the mechanism of a drawbridge, demonstrating its military origins.

The main structure is composed of three round towers and two square donjons, or strongholds, that surround two courtyards of differing functions. The smaller courtyard is enclosed by service buildings and dependencies, while the larger “honor” courtyard opens onto an English-style landscaped park featuring a natural pond. These multiple layers create a combination of utilitarian spaces and formal reception areas.

The adjacent park covers roughly 40 hectares and includes centuries-old trees spanning various species. Since 2009, part of the park has been repurposed as a vineyard, making the estate a notable wine-producing site within Wallonia. This agricultural adaptation reflects the evolving use of the land over time.

Among later additions, a neo-Gothic chapel built in the 19th century forms part of the castle complex, exhibiting stylistic elements far removed from the original fortress. Within the park stands a surviving loophole tower, a remaining fragment of the medieval castle’s defensive past that offers a tangible connection to the site’s earliest phases. This tower remains in situ and serves as a quiet witness to the layers of history embedded in the estate.