The Sun King redevelops the Château de La Roche-en-Ardenne

The Sun King renovates the castle of La Roche-en-Ardenne
What do the vaulted rooms, cistern, powder depot, pillar tower and second terrace of Clairue have in common? They were all renovated by the French troops of Louis XIV, the "Sun King" (1638-1715). The French occupied the La Roche region and the castle from 1681 to 1697 (Treaty of Ryswick) and from 1699 to 1714, during the War of the Spanish Succession. To adapt the castle to the needs of siege warfare and artillery, the disciples of Vauban, Louis XIV's famous engineer and military architect, destroyed, modified and redeveloped the pre-existing structures. The castle's role also changed: it became a logistical base from which war troops, particularly those active in the Liège region, could obtain supplies. For this reason, bread ovens were built in the town, capable of producing several thousand rations of bread a day for French soldiers