Château de Montrésor

Montrésor, France

The Château de Montrésor is a medieval castle with a Renaissance mansion built in the grounds. In about 1005, Fulk Nerra, count of Anjou, chose a rocky spur dominating the valley of the Indrois as the site for his captain Roger le Petit Diable ("Little Devil"), to build him a powerful fortress. Montrésor had one of the first keeps built in stone, similar to that at Loches, and two circular walls, but today only the west wall remains. In the 12th century, Montrésor fell into the hands of Henry II of England and the imposing towers at the entrance were built, as well as a part of the north curtain wall. In 1188, King Philip Augustus of France retook Montrésor from the English. André de Chauvigny, returning from the Third Crusade with Richard the Lionheart, became the new lord of Montrésor, before having to cede the castle for almost two centuries to the Palluau family. Demolished in 1203, the castle was rebuilt in 1393 for Jean IV de Bueil by Jean Binet, who put up the enclosure wall, the gatehouse and the existing outbuildings.

From the start of the 15th century, with the court spending more and more time in Touraine, Montrésor became a centre for courtesans and royal servants. In 1493, Imbert de Batarnay bought Montrésor to build an elegant residence in the feudal enclosure, of which only the main wing remains. Imbert was an influential councillor and chamberlain to four kings of France: Louis XI, Charles VIII, Louis XI and Francis I. This royal servant had a long tenure in this function, rare in this epoch, but he was skilful and cunning, and was present at all of the negotiations in his time - he was particularly responsible for arranging the marriage of Anne of Brittany to the king, sealing the joining of the Duchy of Brittany to the French kingdom. He was entrusted with preparations for war with Italy and the education of the children of Louis XII and François I.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, other leading families - such as the Bourdeilles and the Beauvilliers - lived in the castle. The French Revolution marked the beginning of its decline. Around 1845, count Jouffroy de Gonsan demolished the west wing of the Renaissance logis as well as the castle chapel. In 1849, Xavier Branicki, a rich Polish count and friend of emperor Napoleon III, arrived to give new life to Montrésor; Branicki undertook the complete restoration of the castle. He equipped the house with rich furnishings and roofs and the house was the setting for sumptuous feasts with Napoléon. Branicki's descendants still own the castle.

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Founded: 1493
Category: Castles and fortifications in France

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4.3/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Lawrence Jenkins (4 months ago)
Truly beautiful village. I just love this place. There are so many views and little corners here that I treasure.
Hiram Ruiz (5 months ago)
Small and not much visited but pleasant. Enjoyed it. And the town is beautiful.
Sanchez ReS (7 months ago)
Awesome experience amazing highly recommend taking your time and absorbing the history that exists within the walls of the Château
Craig Rawlings (13 months ago)
The Chateau is a snapshot in time. It was left as is in the late 1800s on the death of the owner who amassed an extraordinary collection of items including gifts from Kings and Emperors. If you visit, make sure to ask for the guide folder available in English and other languages from the gatehouse. It brings the artefacts to life. Also, take the time to walk down the hill and through the amazingly preserved medieval village.
Dave Brown (15 months ago)
This is a small Chateau on the river cliff in the centre of Montresor. It is dominated by a massive Redwood tree in the central garden. I was surpeised to see the two classic cars parked in in centre and even more surprised to see one of the cars in town at the restaurant.
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