Epierre

Chateau Epierre has served for 3 locations in the first season.

1 Tell's hometown 'Clermont' (there is a town of wood and straw built up inside and outside the castle walls)  Episode 1, 2

2. As a shattered castle (after Tell's hometown is burned down, the villagers left for a refuge. Episode 6 'Albion' Here is also made Ambroose and weevil's inn.

3. 1 of the 3 tower jump scenes (Episode 2, The Prisoner). (Combined with a tower shot of chateau Miolans and Chateau Tarascon for the watershot).

Tell hometown is built outside the castle on the north west edge (3,10,11 and 12). And also inside the castle walls (4,5 and 6 on the map). At nr. 11 Tell works as a blacksmith. This castle is

also the location of the 'Albion inn.' (7, 8 and 9). The front shot of 'Albion' is at nr.14. The inn is seperated from the courtyard so you won't be able to recognize the same location. (Albion and Clermont).

Story: Gessler realizes what he has started. The apple story and the resistance in Clermont could be very dangerous for him. Since Tell managed to get out of Gessler's hands,

Gessler decided to put a high price on Tell's head and Dantes will try to chase Tell. In episode 6 'Albion' the mercenaries are going to Tell's hometown. They are pretty late.

One villager called 'Geswin' didn't go to Albion. The violence against his village made him mad. Later in the inn (same spot) they're meeting the two hosts 'Ambrose' and 'Weevil' in their Albion inn.

The north west field 11 and 12. Dantes is looking for Tell and starts at his hometown. Then he enters at nr. 3 the small gate). Left photo: (10, 11 to 12) this house

is probably built for Crossbow or a very old shed that collapsed. It's no longer there. Middle photo: Spot 11. You can see the corner of the castle tower in the back.

The church is left of nr. 13 The church is visible when the priest comes to warn Tell about pole with the hat on it.

1986 Shot taken from the corner of the castle You can recognize the wooden shed left of the tower 2015

Roland tries to light up a spark of rebellion. Location: Inside Epierre castle. In one of the wooden houses especially built for Crossbow.

Scene: They're having a chat about suppression, Roland leads. "The only way to get rid of tyrants like the Emperor and Gessler is with violence. In every village there are men armed and ready

to fight, but they are waiting for the right time. And I'm here to tell you...that time has come." Then Tell suddenly enters the room and interrupts: "And I'm here to tell you, you're late for lunch."

Then the conversation continues at home at the kitchen table with Katrina (Anne Lonnberg), Gregory (Arne Gordon), Matthew (David Barry Gray) and Tell.

Gregory has sent a message to the bishop to tell them about the injustice. They are talking about what happened to Roland and his farm. Katrina: "He has a farm in Unterwald." Tell interrupts: "Had."

Matthew continues: "But the Emperor thought that his land to good for peasants and took it for himself. Now he lives in a shed at the end of his property." Katrina: "How do you know all this?" Matthew:

"I heard him talking in the tavern. He hit a soldier but managed to escape." Katrina: "Now he is a fugitive. If he had taken the shack he would have still a home for his family." Gregory: "It's not the point

my child." Then Matthew looks hopeful to his father while asking: "Father, you would have fought them, you were a soldier." No Matthew, I was a mercenary, nothing to be proud of."

Gregory: When a mercenary kills for money that's a sin. While the potentates steal the land that he received from God and let him pay too much tax and squeezing it like a lemon is an even greater sin.

Katrina knows his note and finishing the sentences together with Gregory and ends: "That's in his note". Tell: "There is also in the holy book that you have to give the Emperor what is his. Turn the other the

cheek is that also in your letter?" Gregory responding: "Everybody talk about peace but there is no peace! Mark my words, God will send us a spark of fire to stir up the flames of rebellion." Tell: "To burn what?

Innocent children? You know nothing about war, that's why you so eager to push us into it. I've seen whole villages in flames and 15 years later I can still smell the stinking body flesh." Gregory: "And we still

need a leader William!" Tell: "If you give me a choice between war and Gessler, I will take Gessler all the time. That's about it / or no doubt about it?. Eat your food it's getting cold."

Brother Gregory only kneels to God not to an hat. He tells what happened to him. Matthew is getting upset about the suppression.

Tell tries to avoid the square but his son doesn't. Then the trouble starts. A man is forced to become a legend.

After Matthew hears the story from priest Gregory and sees he is wounded, does he immediately go to the square full of anger.

Matthew speeches to the villagers: "What are you doing!? I will never bow for a hat. Come stamp on it!" And he throws it on the ground.

Tell gets involved because he wants to protect his son. He takes a crossbow from a soldier and throws the soldier off his horse. Then he points his bow

at the soldier has beaten his son and pins the arm of the soldier to the pole. The villagers don't dare to help.

1986 Behind Horst the wood to hang up the straw roof is still there 2014, nr.6

During the banquet, Tell is forced to shoot the apple. If he doesn't, a drunk will shoot. Gessler tries to get him out of his concentration time after time. But Tell managed to hit the apple.

Location: Epierre castle. The suspension system is still hanging on the wall. to the right of the straw house an ivy had once grown in the hole.

There are very old ivy plants in this castle, especially at the back (north). Never seen such thick stems from a plant!

Scene: Horst reads the official document: "By order of his honor Herman Gessler, governor of this province, by appointment your most holy majesty Frederick prince of the realm...

son of the Emperor, ruler of the most sacred empire.. Brother Gregory mumbling: "so many titles would choke a mule"

Horst: "This hat symbol of the Empire, will be placed at the central point of each village. Everyone who passes the hat. must bow and show the most appropriate sign of respect.

This is the law and penalty for disobedience is death. You there, Priest, Kneel! Priest: "I only kneel to God." Horst continues: "I said kneel, show respect to the hat, Priest."

Priest:..."defy this evil men,.... kneel only to God!" "What have you done with William Tell? Where is his son? Tyrol: "His son is dead. Tell killed him." Katrina: "It's a lie!"

yroll: "He missed the apple his boy is dead." Katrina can't believe it: "no." Tyroll: "Now you have answers to your questions. Pay your taxes." Priest Gregory: "If Matthew

is dead you killed him! You killed him!" If Matthew Tell is with you, you killed him! He pointed at Tyroll. Roland interferes: "murderers!!" And the whole village go loose.

Katrina shouted to all the villagers who are attacking the soldiers "Don't kill them, you'll be just like them!" But nobody can hear her in the chaos......

In the first three episodes, you see many scenes from Tell's village (Epierre castle). The soldiers come back a few times with

reinforcements and then until force majeure. The village has an important role in episode 1, 2 3 6 and in slash backs in 7.

Soldiers got thrown from their horses and molested. Tyroll just managed to escape and rode out the gate via 5,6, to 1

First Tyroll tells about the priest and the big resistance. Tyroll fights against his conscience.

In his opinion religious people deserves respect. Gessler blames Tyroll he didn't arrest Gregory.

Tyroll just saved his life and escaped from the resisting villagers. Gessler said he gave them a fair chance and this time he will be

sending extra men and they have to burn down the place. Tyroll finds it very difficult. Gessler doesn't want a disagreement.

For the Banguet and apple scene see Chateau Virieu and for the prison scenes, see the links about Lake Bourget and chateau Miolans.

Later when Tyroll comes back to the village, Katrina asks what happened to her husband and son. Tyroll turns the story and lies that Tell missed the apple.

A character difference becomes clear between two soldiers of Gessler. Horst orders that Gregory gets beaten up and Tyroll seems to be

shocked about this all... In episode 13 Misalliance is Tyroll the one who can be trusted. He made a deal with Eleanor and kept his promise.

Roland and Blade want to make a stand against the soldiers. The villagers are afraid and leave one by one. At last they stand alone and they have to run for their lives.

Gessler is furious at the village, he heard Tyroll was the only survivor that returned. Now he wants the people to get punished and send out other soldiers to crush and burn the village.

When we were there, there was a certain smell of burning wood around perhaps parts of the burned old wood of the village that was still there.

You should expect that in Arlempdes because there went the fire out of hand and the fire brigade had to do everything they can to stop it.

Soldiers riding in from 1 to 6 and 5. Then they set everything on fire in the courtyard and ride out from 4, 3 to 10 (the external straw village).

Early scene episode 1 Episode 6 Tell goes back to his shattered village and so does Dantes 2015 same trees at the back of the castle

Left: Father Gregory tells what happened on the courtyard of Epierre, with the pole and the hat (before Clermont got burned down). Photo middle: Tell returns to Clermont, but it's damaged.

1986 The ruined village and smithy (above you can see it before It's set on fire) 2015 castle is a little bit more to the right here.

2015 no stones left, nothing. 1986 the house is built on the corner of the wall.

Below and above is the same place. the western exterior castle wall. Right fire picture: The house was or not built yet or behind the strew houses.

1986 Same field below: middle looking west and right picture is north. 2015

2015 Left picture: Tell walks in front of this wall and enters the south gate on this picture (right door) 1986

Here you can see the field where parts of Tell's village was build. The Ivy is still in the same shape as it was 30 years ago.

This side of the castle is the most important side, because it's the best part of the castle. The east side is attached to the old village and a small road. The northwest is in a bad state.

The good parts of the castle are the courtyard, the southern wall and and parts of the interior (western towers). There are three important shots taken from this side.

Parts of the exterior village: 1. Entrance to Albion (see Tell on his horse entering Albion)

One villager was left in the shattered village, he became mad because of all what happened, later the villager also tells Dantes where Tell went to.

1988 And almost the same spot (above) Tell is riding from 14 to 3 then to the Albion tavern in 7 and 9 (in Albion they hide the straw village on the courtyard) .

Gregory tells William what happened to his village. As if that wasn't enough...after a hint from Tell's neighbour, Dantes went to Albion.

In Episode 3, The Little Soldier...Tell just got out of jail, then Weevil tried to rob Tell and want to sell him to Gessler (what all didn't work.) Later in the

inn (episode 6) Weevil recognizes Tell and starts to panic. Then Dantes arrives and his gang causes misery. Now it's Tell that helps them at great risk to his own life.

Dantes enters Albion in search of Tell. Tell feels they are here for him. Now partly overgrown.

Ambrose encourages Weevil to get dressed like a barmaid, because that's good for business. Weevil recognizes Tell (episode 3 Little soldier, there

they try to rob Tell but they don't succeed) so now he has to be carefully and covers his face with his hand, but that just attracks Tell's attention. Funny act.

Dantes and his men harass the barmaid (Weevil). When his headscarf and cap fall of they get angry. Things seem to get out of hand. Tell protects the ward Weevil.

Then he suddenly gets a sword on his shoulder from the back. Dantes: "We've been looking for somebody just like you." Tell turns around, then he continues: "We've been

looking for him for quite some time. We have one man short, maybe you can take his place." Tell: "I always have been self employed. I don't think I'm the man you are

looking for. "The man I want has to be good with the crossbow, are you?" Tell: "Not at all." Dantes: "Let's find out!"

Dantes grabs him and brings him to the place below. Weevil is put on a chair and gets a cup on his head. "There is only one man who can shoot like this...are you as good as him?

Give him a target." One shot. "What if I miss?" Dantes: "You won't," and he looks to his man that aimed a bow to Tell's direction. And if I hit the target? Then you are the man we

are looking for. It's kind of dark, can I have some light? "Flamingo, bring the torch over."

Tell shoots the man with the torch and sets the whole place in fire. Then he and Dantes fight. Photos of the interior provided by S. Barthelemy around 2005

Tell has to show his skills again. In the back you can see Tell's village 'Clermont' (in fact Clermont has been destroyed in ep. 1 and 2), while they shooting (here episode 6),

so the fire that destroyed Clermont (in episode 1 and 2) must have been recorded after this shoot of episode 6. Tell has to show if he is the right man Dantes is looking for.

An episode a week....as a kid it felt I had to wait for ages to find out what happened to Tell. Did he manage to escape from Dantes or not?

The village. Episode 1 and 2: The Banquet and The prisoner 1. Episode 6 Albion, the return.

Seen from the courtyard, where the car is, was the shooting. This photo is made from the courtyard.

Tell enters the village via the west, episode the banquet, the same porch as Dantes comes in later Made inside the castle 2015 Outside the castle

Many traces left here, like the wagon and the frames on the walls. I think a lot could be still there. On other locations I saw ancient ladders.

The castle of Épierre is an old stronghold of the 12th century, rebuilt in the 14th century, and restored in the 16th or 17th century, center of the seigneurs of Épierre, raised to the rank of barony, whose

ruins stand on the commune D'Épierre in the Savoie department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The castle of Épierre is located in the French department of Savoy on the town of Épierre, in the northeast,

in the upper part of the town, and watched the narrow passage over the river Arc. Epierre is a small village 15 km north of Saint Jean de Maurienne and 25 km south-east of Albertville. Albertville is the

crossroads of important roads to the winter sports area of France. The chateau is planted in the upper part of the village, at the edge of a small road. It's attached to a meadow and a forest. The interior:

1 st impression from a distance, the shape of the castle is surprising. But alas it is hidden by many tress and the construction. It's not easy to photograph. Then at the corners of the square towers almost in line

with the wall. I suspect a 12 th century building base. It resembles a Lego castle with It's shape. The interior is made up of 2 rectangular buildings separated by a fairly wide courtyard. These buildings do not

seem to date from the same period. One is very similar to the construction of curtains: pebbles and flat stones. On the other hand the other seems more neat and the angles are well paired with what seems to

be tuff. Windows of ogival shape with central column could be 14 th century. The whole has been very reworked at different times but keeps a timeless charm!.The corners as well as the separations of

floors are reinforced by a chaining of tuff. It cut in half by a corridor at each level. Above the entrance door of this building, the corridor on the first floor is illuminated at both ends by a three-lined,

ogival-shaped trilobal window, divided by a column with a top and a trilobal rose, supplemented by a frame In broken arch. The one overlooking the courtyard is the best preserved of the two. Inside,

it is possible to foresee a reconstruction of the 14th century and a restoration of the sixteenth or seventeenth century.

The entrance, not filmed, only from the courtyard, but not from the outside the south western part at the small road. This entrance has yellow marks, also the

internal gate (with the beautiful window above it) attached to the courtyard Tell escapes from Dantes has the same colors and shape as this main gate in the east.

This gate below is not filmed only from the other side. In fact Tell rides from one of the western towers into the courtyard and not out this eastern main gate.

It looks like the skeleton of the former Tell's village (in the courtyard) is still there, now used as a storage (picture in the middle and right).

And do you see the other gate far in the back? (photo in the middle). That's the one Tell escapes from Dantes.

This is the gate the soldiers rode in and out. In the back the gate Dantes shot Tell, this gate is attached to the courtyard.

Above: looking from the eastern main gate into the castle's courtyard. Below: seen from the courtyard to the exit of the castle.

1986 Now that I compare the pictures, it is almost unbelievable that the slats are still there as they were then. 2016 looking from the inside to the exit

Inside the Epierre castle: the pole with the head and part of the village, episode 1 - courtyard. Below: The 'internal' gate with beautiful window to the courtyard and the western towers. Middle below a shot

from the western tower through the intern gate with a view to the courtyard. In episode 1 the gate is hidden by wood and houses and in episode 6 they used it as a entrance and way out to/of the tavern.

The inner porch attached to the courtyard, nr.2 It's Tell's hometown and it's also Albion.

The middle photo: the entrance is hidden with planks of wood, you can compare it with the right photo. Same spot.

Note: They put wood on the entrance to cover the village, because this is now 'Albion' and the 'inn' (courtyard in the back, seen from north to south nr. 7 to 5)

Dantes rides around the pillar block to the south gate and had to bend for the huge ivy plants (in 1988 the ivy seemed to be a lot lower)

The western part is almost taken over by nature. The walls do have lots of holes and It's very dangerous to go there. Around the corner of this tower wall en between the courtyards, the tavern was situated.

The meadow outside the castle. If you look on all these pictures below you can see the ancient church in the distance and sometimes on the right the western part of the castle with

all the bushes around it (the bad part of the castle). Some little houses are built against the castle wall.

For about 30 years there were no real changes, but last year It's remarkable the trees were vanished behind Tell's hometown.

June 2015 Clouds enclose the mountains and thunderstorms and sun alternate continuously. It varies greatly in these mountains.

The thick clouds often cannot get over the highest mountains that lie just behind them.

Changing weather many times..A spectacle of clouds and sun ... so beautiful!! Epierre is situated high on the edge of the Alps. It's nice to witness the weather changes so fast. Several years back, around

2015, we were in Epierre and there was a thunderstorm on the other side of the village...the clouds cropped beautifully around the high mountain peaks...and above the castle the sun shone regularly.

Danger of falling rock, better said: whole castle parts. This part is a danger to enter...we didn't. it's the north wall. It's overgrown.

It was already overgrown during Crossbow. The inn shots are one room further and in a slight better condition.

The towershot is switched into 3 locations (one for the high view: Miolans, one for the water around: Tarascon and one to be safe to jump off: Epierre tower).

A short but important (switch) shot of Chateau Epierre in episode 2 The Prisoner.

The jump of the tower is a combination of three castle tours (Tarascon, shot to the water next to the tower, Epierre because it was not to high for the stuntman, see photo

below and Miolans because of the view and height.) And I think Miolans and Tarascon are too high, even a good stuntman like Yannick Derrien won't survive that.

Left: Crossbow shot. The Banquet episode switches from the Virieu square and Miolans prison to a short shot of Tarscon (escape of the tower Miolans and the real jump the lower tower of Virieu.