Château de Druyes (French pronunciation: [ʃato də dʁɥi]) is a medieval castle located in Druyes-les-Belles-Fontaines in Yonne, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.

It was a frequented dwelling place of Peter II of Courtenay, the Emperor of Constantinople in the 13th century, and his daughter Matilda, Countess of Nevers, Auxerre and Tonnerre.

The castle avoided destruction during the French Revolution but it was not until the second half of the 20th century that local residents and authorities became concerned about its fate and made efforts to save it from total ruin.

These castles were built in the time of King Philip Augustus and displayed a simple plan and circular towers.

Decades after the fall of the Roman Empire, about 543, a monastery was created and a nearby village grew and Druyes is cited as a parish of Auxerre in 596, under the name of "Drogia".

During the time of the Norman invasions of the 9th century, the village was relocated to a more elevated and defensible rocky plateau nearby.

His land to the north, Auxerre and Sens, Hugh the great, duke of the Franks, and subsequently to his sons Otto and Henry in 954.

King Robert succeeded, however the Count of Nevers took advantage of the period of uncertainty to establish his authority over part of Auxerre, in particular Saint-Sauveur and Druyes.

It was not until the late 12th century when the Château de Druyes began to appear in writings, however the architect and the exact date of construction are not known.

To regain his freedom, he was forced to give Hervé the county of Nevers as well as his daughter's hand in marriage (Matilda of Courtenay).

In 1216, at his son's home in Druyes, Peter II received a delegation of barons who had come to offer him the crown of the Latin Empire of Constantinople.

[2] Pursuant to the agreement between Peter II and Hervé, Matilda of Courtenay, Countess of Nevers, inherited the counties of Auxerre and Tonnerre.

Matilda II died five years later, in 1262, and her husband Odo, Count of Nevers divided the three counties between her daughters Yolande, Margaret and Adelaide.

After the death of Yolande, Nevers passed to her descendants and heirs, the counts of Flanders who abandoned the Château de Druyes.

The castle became home only to the captain and garrison responsible for its defence, but its military role remained important and it is likely that it was affected by the ravages of the Hundred Years' War.

The Château de Druyes became a part of the short lived Kingdom of Burgundy, which ended in 1477 with the death of Charles the Bold.

In the mid-17th century, Charles II Gonzaga inherited the territory, but suffered financial problems and he eventually sold the counties of Rethel and Nevers to Cardinal Mazarin in 1659.

Thanks to the efforts of Friends of château de Druyes, the castle has been open to visitors since 1981 and has hosted several cultural events.

The castle and grounds are built on a high limestone plateau, with a defensive marsh valley dominating the surrounding countryside.

The town was typically accessed by a postern (secondary gate), located at the northern tip of the triangle, where the slope is more gentle.

The first floor was a command room: it controlled access to the parapets of the curtain wall with two doors, allowing it to operate the gate as well defended the passage under the porch with three murder-holes.

The stately home, now completely gone, was a large building of 49 m with 12 supports on the south curtain wall, facing the door to the gatehouse.

The first floor received light by a decorative set of stone windows called a "Romanesque gallery", which is still visible on the south curtain wall.