Saint-Michel-de-Montaigne is in south-west Dordogne, about 40 km west of Bergerac.

In countryside surrounded by vines, the small village of Saint-Michel-de-Montaigne is mostly notable as being the birthplace of the influential French philosopher Michel Eyquem de Montaigne, who was born in the chateau.

Built in the heart of a majestic park, whose layout was designed by the philosopher himself, this grand chateaux is not open to the public but is well worth a walk around.

The castle was completely restored after a fire that seriously damaged it in 1885.

The 14th century tower of where Montaigne worked fortunately escaped the fire, he wanted to be away from the main castle to have more peace and quiet and he set up his library in the tower and sat here to write.

The interior of the tower has been kept as it was when Montaigne used it and has a small chapel below on the bottom floor, a bedroom above and at the top Montaigne’s library where he wrote his famous “Essais” at the age of 39.

In the tower you will find beams where Montaigne engraved his most renowned question ‘What do I know?’ (‘Que sais-je?’)