Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of La Celle-Guenand has its origins in the Middle Ages, with two distinct chestnuts: La Celle-Draon and La Celle-Guenand. These two fiefs were gathered at the end of the Middle Ages by the lords of La Celle-Draon. The present castle, built from the 15th century, preserves underground refuges dating from this period, used during the wars of Religion and even during the Second World War. The door tower and the castle, erected in the 15th century, mark the beginning of its construction, followed by extensions and successive modifications.

In the 15th century, the lords of Guenand, including Antoine de Guenand (mentioned in 1422), led the seigneury and built the castle visible today, as well as the chapel of the Genets. In 1570, the two seigneuries passed under the authority of one owner, René de Coutance, whose family retained the estate until 1780. The castle, plan in U with four round towers and a square tower with drawbridge, is surrounded by moat and equipped with an underground shelter dug under its platform. Major developments took place in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, such as the destruction of the northeast wing, the construction of cellars, or the transformation of the chestnut into a stable in 1787.

The architecture of the castle reflects its evolution: the entrance chestnut, flanked by turrets in corbellation, is connected to the house by a covered gallery dated 1476, while defensive elements (murder, mouths to fire, remains of the drawbridge) remain. The various roofs (long panels, rumps, pavilions), and stairs (in screws, straight, or frame) illustrate the successive adaptations. In the 19th century, new communes, a portal and a fountain were added, and two greenhouses were built in the park. The castle, inscribed in historical monuments in 1943, bears witness to seven centuries of architectural and seigneurial history.

The narrow, sinuous undergrounds, equipped with withdrawal chambers and a fountain, served as refuges during conflicts. The estate then moved to the Cantineau families of Commacre and Gaullier de La Celle, the latter establishing a land plan in 1842. The accounts of the castle, precious sources, reveal details such as the shingle cover of the gallery in 1476 or the cradle vaults of semi-entered rooms. Today, the castle combines medieval remains, Renaissance transformations and modern amenities, offering a complete panorama of the evolution of castles in Touraine.

Future

The castle of La Celle-Guénand being located in a triangle between Tours, Poitiers, and Châteauroux is the ideal place for a one-night getaway, or for a stay in a pleasant setting, as a couple, with family or friends in order to savor the riches of the Touraine Côté Sud, and its surroundings.

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