Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

Boisbonnard Castle, located in Villelosue in Indre-et-Loire, is an imposing medieval fortress surrounded by moat. From its original 14th century ensemble, there are only five round towers and moat, while the current home is the result of multiple reshuffles. The main building, built in the 16th century, was restored in the 18th and 19th centuries, with additions such as two 17th century pavilions and an extension to the 19th century.

Inside, the living room preserves Louis XVI style woodwork, damaged during the Second World War, as well as two 17th and 18th century chimneys. The Empire-style commons were partially burned during this conflict and supplemented by Gothic buildings in the 19th century. The castle, a former fief of Sainte-Maure, often changed owners, including noble and ecclesiastical families.

Ranked a historic monument in 1990 for its five towers, moats and right staircase, the castle illustrates the architectural evolution between the Middle Ages and the modern era. Its transformations reflect the tastes and needs of successive owners, blending medieval defense, Renaissance comfort and classic embellishments. The damage of the Second World War recalls its turbulent history.

Sources mention owners such as Pierre Bonnard (XIIIth–XIVth centuries), Claude de Corbin (1559), or Madeleine-Françoise de Créquy (1789), widow of André Milon de Mesme. These families, often linked to the nobility of the robe or to the Church, have marked the history of the estate with adjustments and changes of vocation, between seigneurial residence and local power.

External links