Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Cour-sur-Loire came into being in 1492, when Jacques Hurault, treasurer of France during the reign of Louis XII, acquired the land and built the central part of the building. This first body of houses, of late medieval style, is characterized by a polygonal tower with stone screws, adorned with a door with braid and pinnacles. The building is rapidly enlarged: a symmetrical building is added to the northeast, while a wing in return, flanked by a square tower, extends the house to the southwest. These extensions, realized shortly after the initial construction, give the castle its partial "U" plan, typical of the seigneurial houses of the Renaissance.

In the 19th century, between 1840 and 1850, the castle underwent major modifications with the addition of a new building to the southwest, accompanied by turrets. This period also saw the creation of a landscaped garden in 1829, as well as the construction of a troubadour-style chapel, consecrated in 1842. Most commons disappear, with the exception of the gardener's house. These transformations reflect the romantic taste of the era for picturesque architectures and English parks. The castle, partially surrounded by fence walls, preserves elements from the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries, testifying to its architectural evolution.

Ranked a Historic Monument since October 10, 1961, the castle of Cour-sur-Loire protects its facades, roofs, and a 16th century house, an old outbuilding. The park, with its fence walls, and the vineyard house (other outbuilding), were registered in 1993. These protections highlight the heritage value of a collection of medieval, Renaissance and 19th-century architectures, typical of the Ligerian castles that have been redesigned over the years.

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