Château des Fougis is a private property that has been acquired by the German artist Erich Engelbrecht and his family since 2001. The owners live there  throughout the whole year.

The property consists of

• A 16^th century castle built of red and black brick and representative of the traditional architectural styles of the Allier region
• Within the castle, single-family homes, art galleries, courtyards, and gardens – amoungst others “The Wondrous Garden of Eric Engelbrecht” with an outdoor exhibition of 28 huge steel-sculptures.

The majority of Erich Engelbrecht’s artistic works were created at Les Fougis as a part of the principal sculptural project of his later life. The breathtaking works, sculptures towering 10 meters into the air and weighing upwards of 100 tons, are spread throughout the rolling fields of the dream-like property. The monumental steel sculptures surrounding the castle draw the attention and curiosity of people passing by on the pleasant country road.

A Setting of Heritage and History

The park is set in a calculated and aesthetic manner around the 16th century castle. The castle serves as a beautiful backdrop for the sculptures and offers a visit to a site of historic and cultural heritage to all. The sculptural works related to medieval fantasy tales for a coherent whole within the surreal castle setting, and give the visitor a rich, dream-like experience. Erich Engelbrecht was fascinated by the calculated, symbolic positioning of his work to make it most impactful to the visiting public; as such, the positioning of the sculptures carries equal weight as a part of his creative process. For this purpose, the artist created a 1.2 km long walk through the park, which has the shape of a giant anchor. This anchor symbolizes our connection in the subconscious and guides the visitor through the sculpture exhibition.

• You’ll find as well three additional historical houses for guests and the groundskeepers

• A traditional building for public events and receptions hosts inside up to 80 people
  
• The buildings are surrounded by 138 hectares of farmland, several fish ponds, gravel roads, and walking trails through the forests

Château des Fougis is a private property that has been acquired by the German artist Erich Engelbrecht and his family since 2001. The owners live there  throughout the whole year.

The property consists of

• A 16^th century castle built of red and black brick and representative of the traditional architectural styles of the Allier region
• Within the castle, single-family homes, art galleries, courtyards, and gardens – amoungst others “The Wondrous Garden of Eric Engelbrecht” with an outdoor exhibition of 28 huge steel-sculptures.

The majority of Erich Engelbrecht’s artistic works were created at Les Fougis as a part of the principal sculptural project of his later life. The breathtaking works, sculptures towering 10 meters into the air and weighing upwards of 100 tons, are spread throughout the rolling fields of the dream-like property. The monumental steel sculptures surrounding the castle draw the attention and curiosity of people passing by on the pleasant country road.

A Setting of Heritage and History

The park is set in a calculated and aesthetic manner around the 16th century castle. The castle serves as a beautiful backdrop for the sculptures and offers a visit to a site of historic and cultural heritage to all. The sculptural works related to medieval fantasy tales for a coherent whole within the surreal castle setting, and give the visitor a rich, dream-like experience. Erich Engelbrecht was fascinated by the calculated, symbolic positioning of his work to make it most impactful to the visiting public; as such, the positioning of the sculptures carries equal weight as a part of his creative process. For this purpose, the artist created a 1.2 km long walk through the park, which has the shape of a giant anchor. This anchor symbolizes our connection in the subconscious and guides the visitor through the sculpture exhibition.

• You’ll find as well three additional historical houses for guests and the groundskeepers

• A traditional building for public events and receptions hosts inside up to 80 people
  
• The buildings are surrounded by 138 hectares of farmland, several fish ponds, gravel roads, and walking trails through the forests

Visit of the Château des Fougis’ gardens .

The non profit organization “Amis des Fougis”, allows us to make the site accessible to the public.

What are the conditions of access to the facilities and schedule?

The gardens are open for visit every 3rd weekend of the month,
Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from May throughout October.
Please use the parking facilities as mentioned in the local access section.
People with walking diabilities can park in front of the old workshop buildings

Can I just come to visit  the Erich Engelbrecht gardens of Les Fougis?

Yes, the visit to the park is allowed upon payment of a small fee for general membership* to the non-profit organization “Friends of Les Fougis” plus a regular entry fee for visitors older than 15.

*How much is it to be a member ?

A general membership in the “Amis des Fougis” association, is 2.5 EUR per person. The membership fee is renewable each year on the occasion of your first visit in the season.

How much is it for visiting the gardens and getting a guided tour?

For all members (see above), access fees to the garden pathways are :

Adults : 5 EUR
Reduced: 4 EUR
Under 15 : free entry – children must stay under sight surveillance of an adult
Groups of 20 adults or more : 65 EUR

Guided tours in French, German and English, depending on the availability of the guides, are offered at a rate of 2.5 EUR per person, or 25 EUR for more than 10 paying members. Reservation is recommended.

School classes /Groups
School classes or professional groups are welcome to make  appointments to visit and get specific conditions for regular or educational guided tours.

Other activities of our organization :
What else is there happening in Les Fougis ?
The general membership also gives the right to occasionally participate in cultural initiatives during the season, in accordance with the private regulations.

Artistic practice courses, seminars, etc … will be accessible at a specific price to cover expenses, upon invitation. You can keep yourself informed of the conditions and places available by registering on the “bulletin of the association”.

Clubhouse 
On opening weekends members are welcome to check if the clubhouse facility in the orangerie is open and to meet other members.

Sponsorship and active members
Special rules with rights to vote at the yearly gathering and cooptation, apply to mecenes, secretaries and active members.