Château de Saint-Loup, Saint-Loup-Lamairé, France

The site of Saint-Loup is placed at a strategic position where Thouet and Cébron rivers meet. From the early days it was surrounded by military constructions. The first document of castle dates from the 12th century.

The keep, built in the Middle Ages, is the oldest part of existing castle. The Black Prince imprisoned in the famous Keep the French King John the Good after the battle of Poitiers in 1356. The entrance of the square tower was then protected by a portcullis. Today the keep and adjacent buildings have been converted into an amazing guest house with five bedrooms, sitting room & dining room.

Château de Saint-Loup was rebuilt in Renaissance style during the 16th century by Gouffier family. The present Château (1609-1626) was built by Claude and Louis: plan in the shape of an H in the honor of King Henry the IV th with wings disposed as separate entities and independent vertical roofs. The frescoes were painted in false brick. A campanile tops the central Pavillon. All these elements confer to the Château the architural style which existed at the beginning of classicism which is called the Louis XIII style.

From then on the domain is adorned by sumptuous gardens designed and built by the most prominent gardeners of their time. A document describes a meeting in 1631 between the Gardener of the Gouffier family Jamin with those of the Cardinal de Richelieu and Duke de la Trémoille.

In 1767 the Château is sold to Jean Haran de Borda, fermier général, who bequeaths it in 1772 to his nephew Jean d’Abbadie, an important magistrate. The Château remained the property of the d’Abbadie family until 1894.

References:

chateaudesaint-loup.com

User Reviews

Kamila CK Artist (12 months ago)
An absolute highlight and our favourite stay during our wedding anniversary in July 2022 (we got cancelled by airbnb host and thanks godness we ended up in this paradise). A fantastic property with beautiful gardens, vast grounds, amazing and hospitable hosts (who speak great English). We would highly recommend to everyone and hope we will come back another time. Absolute must for chateau and history lovers!

Jo Priestley (2 years ago)
Wish I could give more stars for this gorgeous, historic residence and the hosts who are delightful and genuinely can't do enough for you. Just be prepared in that it's a small village location with limited restaurant/ food outlet provision, particularly if you arrive later in the day. It's a fantastic place for a picnic though!

Alan Daniel (3 years ago)
We can only echo the wonderful reviews from visitors past. Charles-Henri and Sofie could not have done more to make our stay better. Fantastic room in the keep, very comfortable 4 poster bed and an en suite bathroom with deep bath and continuous very hot water. Breakfast was very good and plenty of it. The Château was a trip back in time and Charles - Henri gave us a personal tour. Also dog friendly.

Katelin Neikirk (3 years ago)
We recently had our wedding ceremony and reception at the Chateau de Saint-Loup-sur-Thouet. It was absolutely magical. Charles-Henri and Sofie were incredibly helpful. They provided us with suggestions for vendors (which all turned out wonderfully), helped us set up for the ceremony and reception, and made us and our guests feel incredibly welcomed and at home. The chateau itself is beautifully decorated and each room has its own character. The town (Saint Loup sur Thouet) is also amazing and looks like a postcard. There are three restaurants, a grocery store, a bakery, and a tabac. Everything you need is either in the village or a short drive away. We highly recommend the Chateau de Saint-Loup for your wedding, large event, or even for an intimate stay (you can rent a single room).

Erin Urban (7 years ago)
Absolutely amazing experience! We stayed in the Keep, which is the best in my opinion. The Medieval Room has very comfortable beds, plenty of places to lounge, good views, a nice cool breeze and a huge bathroom. The Chateau is fantastic as well. The grounds are well maintained and our host was fantastic. I highly recommend staying here if you are in the area.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Photo from Flickr, copyright Zvonimir Hrvoj

Historic Site of the week

Church of St Donatus

The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.

The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.

The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.

Château de Saint-Loup

Address

Details

More Information

Rating

Interesting Sites Nearby

User Reviews

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Historic Site of the week

Church of St Donatus