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Origin and history

The castle of Courcelles-le-Roi, located in the Loiret region of the Centre-Val de Loire, has its origins between the 11th and 12th centuries in the form of a traditional feudal motte, surrounded by ditches and palissades. This strategic site, dependent on the châtellenie of Boiscommun, became a privileged hunting site for the kings of France, especially Louis IX who stayed there in 1247. The fief, integrated with the duke d'Orléans, was then passed on to figures such as Nicolas de Braque and the chancellor of Birague.

The castle suffered two major destructions during the Hundred Years War, in 1358 and 1424, by the British armies. Each time, notably by Jean de Bracque in 1389 and Georges de Brilhac around 1450, he gradually lost his military character with the advent of bronze cannons. In the 15th century he welcomed Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany in 1493, where she gave birth to a stillborn child, probably buried in the local church. The transformations of the 17th and 18th centuries, like the addition of new openings, reflect its evolution into a more comfortable seigneurial residence.

In the 19th century, the castle was partially restored, but the west tower collapsed around 1880. Damaged during the Franco-German War of 1870, it was also occupied and burned by the Wehrmacht during the Second World War, causing the roof of the West Wing to collapse in 1950. Joined the Historic Monuments in 1931, it was first opened to the public in 2012 during the European Heritage Days. Today, it preserves only two of the eight original tours and visits some Saturdays.

The castle has had many owners, from the Jullien families of Courcelles (late 18th–20) to the present Martins-Mazars (since 2020). Its history reflects the architectural and political upheavals of the region, moving from a medieval fortress to a residential mansion, while remaining a witness to the conflicts and social transformations of the Gâtinais.

Located along departmental roads 138 and 144, on the left bank of the Rimarde, the castle once marked the entrance to the village. Its moats, still in water in the 19th century according to the Napoleonic cadastre, and its remains like the south tower and the stairway tower recall its defensive past. The site also served as a setting for filming, such as the short film Les Seigneurs du Temps in 2012.

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