Château Villette was designed by architect Francois Mansart around 1668 and finished around 1696 by his nephew Jules Hardouin-Mansart. The palace was built for Jean Dyel, the Comte d'Aufflay and Louis XIV's ambassador to Venice. One of the most significant historical Chateaux in France, Villette is at once both simple and sumptuous with the great octagonal salon in white and blue, the elegant dining room with the original 17th century carved stone buffet, magnificent boiseries and the stone entry hall which completely exalts the classicism of the period.
The château was restored as a hotel in 1999-2000. There are numerous outbuildings including a chapel and adjacent reception room, horse stable and greenhouse.
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.