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Origin and history

Bagneux Castle, located in Bournan (Indre-et-Loire), is a castle built between the 13th and 15th centuries. Its structure rests on a square base with four enclosure towers, including two truncated today. The remaining towers, with conical roofs in so-called "pepper" slates, retain their mâchicoulis, while the sled windows betray a dual vocation: defence and residence of pleasure. Joined the Historical Monuments in 1927, it illustrates the evolution of medieval fortresses towards more comfortable houses.

The fief of Bagneux, mentioned from 816 under the name of Baniolus, was originally part of the castle of Sainte-Maure. Guillaume de Beygnoux (or de Bagneux), first lord attested in 1331, marks the beginning of his feudal history. The estate then passes into the hands of noble families, including the Puy, who transmit it to Louis de Bourbon, the natural son of Duke Charles I of Bourbon and Jeanne du Puy. By covenant, it echoed John, lord of Fau, master of the king's hotel, before being possessed by the Benais, the Fèvre de Caumartin, de la Varenne and Dangé d'Orsay in the 17th and 18th centuries.

In the 20th century, the castle of Bagneux regained a symbolic dimension during the major military manoeuvres of 1912. President Armand Fallières attended the capture of Bagneux, before receiving the Grand Duke Nicolas of Russia at Sainte-Maure. This episode highlights its persistent role in local history, well beyond its original defensive function. The successive names of the domain (Banneoli in the 11th century, Bagneux de Bournan in the 17th century) reflect its territorial anchor and its transformations over the centuries.

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