Progress of the Guédelon medieval construction site during the 2026 season
Guédelon: the 2026 season of the project building a medieval castle since 1997
Since 1997, craftsmen in Burgundy have been raising a medieval castle using only 13th-century tools and materials. By 2026, the lord’s hall and the mill tower are progressing, but the adventure is far from over.
Editorial journal · Carte des Châteaux ·
A wooden hoarding has just been installed on one of the watchtowers, a few metres above the clay soil of an old quarry in the Yonne region. For nearly thirty years, in Treigny, a team of stonemasons, carpenters, blacksmiths and basket-weavers has been constructing a 13th-century medieval castle using only period-appropriate techniques, tools and materials—no cranes or cement. By 2026, the lord’s chamber is receiving its coffered wooden vault, the chapel door its hand-forged ironwork, and the keep continues to rise towards its planned 31-metre height.
“Guédelon is a wonderful tale of craftsmanship that will continue for many years to come!”
A project without a fixed deadline
Unlike a traditional restoration, Guédelon was never intended to adhere to a strict timeline: the duration of the project is as much a part of its educational mission as the final result. It is this deliberate slowness, season after season, that continues to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors eager to watch craftsmen at work before their eyes.
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