Chateau Clairdome - France - Urbex - Jeroen Taal Photography

Deep inside a hilly forest, this marvelous 19th-century chateau is hidden. This castle consists of around 20 rooms and is made out of bricks that were covered with plaster. The facade also contains a few beautiful Anglo-Saxon styled stone ornamental elements. It must have been a wonderful place to live. Nowadays, it’s totally uninhabitable. The state of the interior is declining rapidly due to the collapsed roof.

The castle was built by a couple who were part of a rich British industrialist family. This family established a large cotton manufacturing business in France. One of their sons eventually served as Prime Minister and as an Ambassador of France when he moved back to Britain.

The reason for its abandonment remains a mystery, but nature has certainly claimed it as her own. Lots of plants have already made it into the entrance hall, creating a breathtaking green spectacle where ivy cascades through broken ceiling beams and moss carpets the once-pristine marble floors. 🌿

A long corridor stretches toward the main entrance at its far end, while debris and rubble cascade inward from both sides, narrowing the passageway and creating an obstacle course of scattered stone and mortar.

A clear Anglo-Saxon styled window frame.

Ivy plants reaching down the upper circular balustrade.

A gracefully designed two-way staircase featuring beautifully curved corners that create an elegant architectural flow.

From the upper floor, expansive windows frame a sweeping panorama that stretches beyond the canopy of trees to meet the distant horizon.

Little remains of the exterior; the château once had a second floor that has now completely collapsed.

Here are some old photographs capturing the château during its golden era, when it boasted a complete second floor and magnificent gardens adorned with ornate decorative features.