Chateau Dauphin - Pontgibaud

Episode 9, The Bet

About Chateau Dauphin: A fortified castle, listed as a historic monument. It's built at the end of the 12th century and completed in the 15th century. There is a dungeon and six turets, it is

still  lived in today and a vegetable garden. There is a silver mining museum in the grounds. The castle owes its name to the coat of arms of the person who built it in the 12th century: Robert I,

Count of Auvergne, on whose arms was a dolphin (dauphin). The original construction was modified in the 15th century by Gilbert III Motier de La Fayette, who strengthened the defences

and enlarged the keep.  Abandoned in the 17th century for a more comfortable building, and damaged during the French Revolution, the castle was finally restored in the 19th century by

Count César III of Pontgibaud. The castle has been occupied since 1756 by the family of a King's musketeer, César I de Moré. The present owners, the Count and Countess Gabriel de Germiny,

are his descendants. The castle, garden and museum are open to the public. We have met the countess and she showed us around.

Pontgibaud is a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme départment in Auvergne in central France. It is located in the Massif Central region of France on the banks of the Sioule River.

The area around the town was historically known for silver and lead mining. The Société des mines et fonderies de Pontgibaud exploited the lead-silver mines between

1852 and 1897. The remnants of Château-Dauphin, a 12th-century castle, are located in Pontgibaud.

The Bet - Tell and Conrad travel to Ursen

Scene: This episode comes after 'The Dukes of Zharingen' (Chateau Tournoel). Tell met Conrad in that previous episode and they both go to Ursen.  The episode starts with the two of them

together heading to Ursen for the shootings tournament.  Storyline: Tell suggests joining The Duke's shooter team, so Tell can win money to go to the citadel to get his son out.

The lady of the castle told me about the huge amount of backgroundplayers. On a summer evening she showed us around. What a beautiful and peaceful place! And a kind lady.

Scene: The duke of Ursen, was also at the Banquet (in episode one). He disapproved of the apple incident but wasn't able to stand up on his own.

In this episode, Tell trusts the duke and offers to join his team to earn money. Coindentally the duke lost this shooting match in recent years. This good

shooter is very welcome,but a high risk because of Gessler's presence.  Tell and Conrad enter Ursen (John Otway is also in the previous episode).

But if Gessler finds out Tell is here, it will cause a lot of trouble for him. The duke does not want a fight on his land, though he realizes how deep the

feud between between Gessler and Tell goes. Tell gives his word, he won't cause trouble during the match, so in that case he can participate in the group of owls.

They go incognito, by the bird masks! The dukelikes to win this year, so he can use it for charity to build a hospital.  But is winning this match that simple?

The decor and figurants

1986                                 Taken from the castle itself                               2015

This episode has many wonderful figurants around! A lady with long hair reaching the floor, a beautiful white horse with high-knee action, nicely dressed people.

Here some pictures of the beautiful scene and setting.

There is a market and a shooting match at the castle

1986 Gorgeous horse!                                       All figurants in beautiful costumes. 2016

The Bet, the ride competition

1986 Gessler leaves in full galop. The statue is on the right.  2015  This forest is still part of the castle, but sadly it's devided into two parts by a new road.

     Who's in the left? (under the tree) A cameraman or perhaps a horsetrainer?                                                                                        

Beautiful full action horse scenes. I'm very impressed they've allowed one of the main players to ride a wild race through theforest.  The horse is almost sliding..  People in the right corner?                                                                                                            

        Nice scenes galloping through the flute sprout fields!

Back at the castle

After the race to the old wagon and back, Gessler loses the race and returned furious. Gessler reacts disrespectfully and makes

trouble by ruining barrels of wine. The duke of  Ursen calls him to account on this land. Tell just enters Ursen and witnesses this.

The double gate

1986 day time or in the morning                                                        Spring evening 2014   

      1986                             Gessler enters the gate.                                  

   1986                                                                                                          2015

The Bet is recorded between the gate above and the castle, you see below.

1986                                                                                2015

The stables

The promise to the duke of Ursen 

1986                                                                                2015

1986                                                                                           2015

                      At the porch of the stables. In the background the main field, where the shooting competition took place.                           The lady of the castle

Tell's family - The common thread is running through

Scene: Tell hears in the first 7 episodes what happened to his hometown, but he doesn't know what happenend to Matthew. "It goes well with your son." Tell asks what

happened to him after the apple incident. "The son of the Prince felt sorry for Matthew and took him with him to the Citadel. Are you on revenge?" Tell: "I want my family back."

The deal

Scene: Tell: "There will be prices tomorrow. May I participate on your team?" Duke of Ursen: "I know how good you are in archery. There is nothing I'd like better. Gessler's hawks

have been winning for three years. But why do you want to expose yourself?" Tell: "I need the money. I will go to Aargau." Duke: "I understand, But Tell, I do not want you to fight

your disagreement with him here. A man has the right to live on peace on his own land, what happened to you is a terrible unjustice. That would be lawlessness and this brings chaos

and destruction, I know how great your quarrel with Gessler is.... I want your word that here you will not persuit." Tell: "You have my word."

1986                                                                                   2015

The stables 2015

The teams

                   The Hawks                                                              The Nightingale women                                               The Owls (Tell and his friend are in)     

The Match

1986                                                                                2015

  1986 The castle is on the right of this picture                                                              2015                                    

The gueststar is Honor Blackman.

The duke of Ursen is very proud en very convinced to win this year. The winner gets a lot of money. With the money the duchess

of Ursen wants to open a hospital and Tell needs it for his journey to eventually get his son out of the citadel in Aargau.

Gessler is determined to win with his champion, but the duke of Ursen has a very strong opponent as well....

Gessler: "That man is an incredible shooter where did Ursen find him?"

The test

Gessler knows only one man who shoots this way...and provokes Tell.

Gessler wants to make sure that his suspicions is correct

Gessler asks the juggler to put one of the oranges on top of his head and ask him to look at the champion and say: "Father". After that Tell suddenly is gone and Gessler knows enough.

Tell realizes Gessler sees the champion archer through. Tell: "He knows it's me." Now they both know for sure Tell can't join them without trouble. The Bet becomes too risky..

Later in the stables Tell and his friend are discussing which step they take...they invent a trick that doesn't harm the landlord of Ursen and to fool Gessler.

The invisible shot

Below: The 'invisible' shot. The shot comes from a distance. Gessler is impressed by the new archer, he wants to find out who he is.

If it's Tell, he wants to arrest him, but he is not authorized to get Tell on this land, but he doesn't care...and goes his own way.

Gessler wants to arrest the remarkable shooter. The duke is worried.

The revenge

Gessler gets the shock of his life.

When he goes back to the tent, an unpleasant surprise awaits him.......

Tell enters with only an arrow and takes Gessler's knife to attack him. Revenge for all the pain he caused.

Tell is furious. Gessler has torn his family apart.

Because of respect of the duke and his promise he made to the duke, he only wounds Gessler and leaves. 

Blade and Roland

Scene: They are showing up from time to time in between the scenes. Now they are heading to Ursen, but each time they are held by bandits and other freedom fighters who do not trust

them. Location: remarkable is this is episode 9, I think this are clearly shots from Entremont. But Entremont is only in episode 11, 12 and 13. Also the bandits from these episodes are in it.

I think they  filled this episode with stuff from 11. I haven't seen them participate the match at the castle. In any case it shows that the rebels story continues.

In the meantime Blade and Roland heading to Ursen to get their army complete for their fight against the emperor. To get more men at his side he

(mis)uses Tells name. A few episodes later he is in big trouble. Some of his men go their own way with all the associated problems......

All this men do return in episode 11 and 12. (in Desert of Entremont)

1986                    The ancient point count system.                     2014

      Extra photos

                                          Seen from the front                                                         The small museum                                           Ancient horse prices can be seen in the stables.  

                                                                                                                                                       The domes in the back

In one of the seperated towers                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

The field of the match

The huge forest behind the castle. Where Gessler leaves for a speedy riding match. The duchess told us the forest of the castle is split in two parts by a new road (D941).

                      The vague road you see, above the castle, is the sand road Gessler took by horse.