Château de la Bourdaisière

Montlouis-sur-Loire, France

Château de la Bourdaisière origins date back to the 14th century when it was a fortress belonging to Jean Meingre. Over the next few generations, the property changed hands several time, until 1520 when King Francis I arranged for construction of a new castle on the site. Built for his mistress, Marie Gaudin, the wife of Philibert Babou, Superintendent of Finances for France, after her death, the property would remain in the family's hands. Marie Gaudin's granddaughter, Gabrielle d'Estrées, was born in the château and would herself grow up to become mistress to another king, Henry IV of France.

In 1775, the château was partially destroyed by order of King Louis XV's most powerful Minister, Étienne François, Duc de Choiseul. Étienne François wanted to use the stones from Château de la Bourdaisière for the construction of his Pagoda at his estate in Chanteloup, near Amboise.

Lying in ruins, in 1786 the land was sold to Louise Adélaïde of Penthièvre Bourbon. In 1802 the property was acquired by Baron Joseph Angelier who undertook a massive reconstruction of Château Bourdaisière. The interior work would be completed by his son, Gustave Angelier. Although a small château, when compared to the great châteaux of the Kings and some of those built by other wealthy nobles, it is a magnificent Renaissance construction fronted by traditional French gardens.

During World War II, the château was occupied by the Nazis. After the war, a lack of funds by its owner saw it become severely run down. In 1959, its contents were auctioned off and government turned the château into a home for the elderly.

In 2003, Château de la Bourdaisière gained considerable attention in North America, as the primary site for the television show Joe Millionaire. In 2011, the chateaus gardens were finalist for the European Garden Award bestowed by the European Garden Heritage Network. The château was listed as a monument historique in 1947. Today it functions as a hotel.

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Details

Founded: 1520
Category: Castles and fortifications in France

Rating

4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Jourdan Alexis (6 months ago)
The exterior is beautiful however the room was dirty with spider webs, the bathroom was missing light bulbs, the toilet seat wouldn't stay on, and the bed was so uncomfortable that it was almost impossible to sleep. There is no TV in the room and the wifi only works in the front office of the hotel. The food was poor and mainly cold cuts that you can get at a grocery store. I would not recommend this place.
Grigorii and Dinara (6 months ago)
I booked the most expensive room available at the time, but here's what I got: paint peeling in many places, bedside lamps without even a simple bead for convenient switching on, no kettle and cups in the room, dirty carpet on the floor, the cheapest and smallest shower cabin instead of a bath, the door to the shower room didn't close and had to be propped up with a suitcase, not to mention the lack of heating in the bathroom and toilet, and the amalgam on the mirror had blackened with age. The door handle of the room fell off before we even entered. The worst part was the almost non-existent Internet access - it took me 5 minutes to send one photo to my parents, and I won't even mention videos. You are paying for the mere fact of staying in a castle, the service is very poor, the breakfast is poor, and if you want something more to eat, you'll have to pay a significant extra fee. Of course, there are some advantages: a large parking lot, rooms with fabric-covered walls, grounds for walking, and a beautiful library, although the furniture there is shabby, and the plush sofas are sagging and worn almost to the point of holes.
K Stratt (14 months ago)
Best hotel of our trip to France! At the entrance we were awestruck by the exterior of this great chateau. The grounds were beautiful. We felt like royalty sleeping in our bedroom. So much to see…the dalia gardens, the walled tomato gardens, the chapel, the wine caves, and so much more. We had a delicious 3 course dinner in the tomato bar and dahlia gardens. Wish we had stayed longer in this gem of a chateau.
Sntg Swift (15 months ago)
I have only visited the park and the restaurant. It was a very good visit. At the restaurant, the salad was delicious. It can be felt that the tomatoes are natural and well prepared. I can recommend this place to anyone who wants to explore a very rich garden. It also includes a marvelous way to explore, with 9 exhibitions that are eye-catching. You can put your bike too!
Lillian van Steenbergen (17 months ago)
Wow ? a phenomenal experience! This place is so beautiful and perfect for kids who love to explore. The ground and gardens are beyond beautiful! There’s awesome caves on the grounds to explore and plenty of trails to walk! The castle is absolutely beautiful. The rooms come with breathtaking views of the grounds. Tho there’s no AC the windows open and the room comes with a fan offering a lovely cool in this warm weather. The staff was beyond friendly and accommodating they help you with what sites to see and restaurant to visit. We enjoyed breakfast in the hotel and dinner. We enjoyed both. This is a must do experience for anyone who enjoys castles and history!!!
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