Rocan Castle

Rocan Castle, locally known as Château de Rocan, lies southwest of the village of Chéhéry, in the Ardennes department in France.

Rocan Castle was built in the first part of the 16th century by a Raoul de Coucy. The castle went through the hands of several families, amongst them the Du Lys and the d'Escannevelle. 

In 1641 the castle was attacked by Imperial-Spanish troops, who had just supported French malcontents in the nearby Battle of La Marfée against the Royal French army of Louis XIII. They occupied the castle for a few days.

In 1789, Francois IV de Régnier, a modest provincial nobleman, retired from the army after 43 years of loyal service and settled in Rocan Castle. He was unlucky for already in 1792 French revolutionaries arrived at his castle. They only threw stones through his windows but Francois and his family decided to flee. On a morning shortly after he and his family fled on foot. After several travels they ended up in Austria and lived a life of poverty. After the revolutionaries found out the castle had been deserted, it was confiscated as Bien Nationaux and subsequently sold at an auction.

In 1838 Rocan Castle was modified and several more windows and doors were created in its facades, amongst other things. In 1973 the castle was restored back to its former original appearance.

Rocan Castle is private property, so it can not be visited. What a great house that must be to live in.

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