- Type
- Castle
- Built
- 1468 · 15th century
- Location
- Pays de la Loire, France
- Coordinates
- 47.6010°, -0.5444°
History
Jean Bourré, secretary and treasurer to King Louis XI, who had earlier overseen the building of the château at Langeais, bought the estate at Écuillé in 1462. In 1468–1472 he built here, in a single campaign, a four-winged château with corner towers that combined the defences of a medieval fortress with the comfort of a residence. The building survives almost unaltered because it was never besieged. After Bourré's descendants died out the château changed hands several times, and in 1911 it was bought by Henri Vaïsse; his family still runs it and opens it to visitors.
What to see
The château of pale tufa stone is mirrored in a broad moat, crossed by a long bridge with a working drawbridge span. Visitors see furnished rooms, a library and the chapel, but the highlight is the 15th-century timber ceiling of the guard room, covered with dozens of painted panels showing alchemical and moralising allegories and bawdy scenes.
Wikipedia article Official website Wikidata Q1377160
Popularity: articles about this site in 17 Wikimedia projects (Wikipedia language editions and others).