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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Valesne Castle, located in Saché (Indre-et-Loire), is a building whose central part was rebuilt at the end of the 15th century. This house body, served by a polygonal staircase turret, was extended in the 18th century by two transverse wings, forming an H-shaped plane. The bays of the central body have a flamboyant decor, while the wings have characteristic cross-sections and half-crosses. The facades, roofs and interior decorations were restored and modified at the beginning of the 20th century, incorporating murals made around 1925 by Raphaël Delorme, illustrating Renaissance life in the castle.

The estate has preserved intact the landscaped amenities designed by architect Louis Decorges. The castle, inscribed in the historic monuments on 6 December 2007, protects its facades, roofs, the large painted room, as well as the water floor and the water staircase in front of the east and south facades. These elements reflect the architectural and artistic transformations between the 15th and 20th centuries, while preserving traces of successive epochs.

The restorations of the 20th century marked a desire for historical reinterpretation, as evidenced by Delorme's paintings, while the exterior structures (floor and water staircase) recall the importance of hydraulic and landscape developments in the Renaissance and Enlightenment castles. Registration for historic monuments underscores the heritage value of this complex, both architectural and landscape.

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