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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château de l'Isle-Savary, located in Clion in the department of Indre (region Centre-Val de Loire), is a building built in the 15th and 17th centuries. It is distinguished by its quadrilateral plan surrounded by moat, accessible by a wooden bridge and a drawbridge to the northwest. The dungeon, located at the west corner, dominates the whole, while three square pavilions reinforce the other angles. These defensive elements, combined with houses, reflect an architecture adapted to the military and residential needs of the time.

The castle is the work of Guillaume de Varye, a financial officer close to Jacques Coeur and general financial controller in Languedoc. In 1464 he acquired L'Isle-Savary land for ECU 40 000 in gold, but died in 1469 before the works were completed. His widow, Charlotte de Bar de Baugy, married Pierre Doriole (general of finance and then Chancellor of France), who supervised the end of the construction. The castle, left unfinished at the death of Guillaume, is finally finished thanks to this strategic remarriage.

Ranked and listed as historical monuments in 1925 and 1932, the castle retains remarkable elements such as its first floor chapel and tower stairs. Its architecture even inspired the Château Frontenac in Quebec, especially for its main tower. The interior transformations in the 19th century and the partial disappearance of the walls of the enclosure bear witness to its evolution throughout the centuries.

The site, still located in the municipality of Clion (code Insee 36055), is today a preserved example of the castral heritage of the region. Its protected moat, facades and roofs make it an emblematic place, although its access and current uses (visits, rentals) are not specified in the available sources.

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