Richard I of England (aka "Richard Lionheart") was taken prisoner on his return from the Third Crusade by Leopold V, Duke of Austria. He was imprisoned was imprisoned in Dürnstein Castle and later Trifels Castle and was finally released after Emperor Henry VI had received 100,000 pounds of silver as ransom.

During this time his brother John Lackland revolted against him with the aid of Philip II of France. Richard Lionheart, who was King of England and Duke of Normandy had this castle built in record time of only two years from 1196 on. After Richard´s death in 1199 the Château Gaillard was taken in 1204 by Philip II, after a lengthy siege.

The castle changed hands several times in the Hundred Years' War, but in 1449 the French king captured Château Gaillard from the English definitively, and from then on it remained in French ownership. Henry IV of France ordered the demolition of Château Gaillard in 1599.

.. and during the "Tour de France" the wall of the castle is decorated "with a giant "maillot jaune".