The Château de Beauville foundations date from the end of the 13th century. Most of the building dates from a 16th-century reconstruction. The castle had a T-shaped plan but one of the wings was destroyed. Part of the castle has retained a crown of machicolations. Some tall windows have double mullions. There is a large interesting staircase inside and old kitchens.
In 1574, François de Beauville led the successful defence of the castle against the Protestants. It was used as Gendarmerie barracks from 1831 to 1976. In 1874, the commune was ordered to make repairs to damage caused to the barracks by the establishment of a byway.
The castle consists of a home of the late 16th century which has a wing whose foundations date from the old castle at the end of the 13th century. The thickness of the walls, the quality of the stones, the refinement of their dressing, demonstrate the use of particularly competent stone cutters and land surveyors.
The 16th-century part of the building is decorated with mullioned windows. Renaissance architecture is also present in the entrance door and fireplaces. A wing of the building was rebuilt in the 19th century.
References:The Château du Lude is one of the many great châteaux of the Loire Valley in France. Le Lude is the most northerly château of the Loire Valley and one of the last important historic castles in France, still inhabited by the same family for the last 260 years. The château is testimony to four centuries of French architecture, as a stronghold transformed into an elegant house during the Renaissance and the 18th century. The monument is located in the valley of Le Loir. Its gardens have evolved throughout the centuries.