In this Aerial Postcard we take you to Champvent Castle, near Yverdon, Switzerland.
In mid-September we drove away from Parhelion HQ once again and went to the canton of Vaud, Switzerland, which is located in the westernmost part of the country, to see the beautiful Champvent Castle, overlooking the Thiele valley.
We arrived mid-morning on a clear day with a bright blue sky and no wind – perfect for drone flying. As we drew near the castle we were pleased to find that a wonderful view of the imposing medieval structure can be seen from the main road, which passes through farm fields spread out all around. Champvent Castle stands on a high hill, wreathed in a small stand of forest. It gave the impression that it had been waiting just for us to come and take its picture.
Its four towers and great walls made a white and red rectangle that dominated the surrounding countryside, just like a castle should. A small village sits behind the castle, but along three sides it is surrounded by open farm fields, completing the feel of a medieval demesne. After a short reconnaissance around the area we were up and flying.
Champvent Castle is a special design.
The building is an example of the “Savoyard Square” type of castle design. Such a structure uses four round towers, one of which is the castle “keep,” and four high walls to form a rectangle that encloses an inner courtyard. Entrance to this courtyard, in the case of Champvent, is by a gate in the eastern wall.
A word about the history of the castle:
The castle is thought to have been built in 1250 by Henri de Grandson, whose descendants held it for some time. In 1336 it passed into the hands of the Burgundian dynasty. This change proved fateful, for when the Burgundian Charles the Bold lost the area to the Swiss at the aptly-named Battle of Grandson in 1476, Champvent Castle was burnt, having been a stronghold of the losing side. It was eventually rebuilt, however, and through the back-and-forth of Swiss history has ended up in private hands.
This means, unfortunately, that the castle is not open to the public. There isn’t even a sign at the gated entrance to name the owners, who obviously want to maintain their privacy. We had to content ourselves with the view outside, and our flying was done with an eye toward not invading anyone’s privacy, which is Parhelion policy.
You can't beat the charm.
Magnificent Champvent Castle is located just outside of Champvent village, about 8 km west of the centre of Yverdon, the nearest large town. It is easily spotted from the roads of the area, and is well worth a passing look as part of a tour of the Yverdon region, known to tourists for its thermal springs, old city center, proximity to the Lake of Neuchatel, vineyards, beautiful countryside and more.
Although ease of access tempted us to bring out the big Inspire 2 drone, we decided to once again rely on the Mavic 2 Pro, for its portability. Its fine camera provided us the opportunity of sending you this latest Parhelion Aerial Postcard. Wish you were here.
Parhelion Aerospace provides drone aerial imagery services that give you that useful “view from above.” Contact us if you need aerial imagery in Switzerland.