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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

Château du Châtelier is an ancient castle built in the 12th century on a circular limestone table in Paulmy, Indre-et-Loire. Located on the border between France and England, it was built as a stronghold in a strategic area. Its cylindrical dungeon and enclosure embrace the natural relief of the site, offering a advantageous defensive position.

In the 15th century, the main building was rebuilt and enlarged, incorporating defensive elements such as a horse-drawn iron tower and cannon archers. The castle became an issue during the Wars of Religion, notably under François de la Noue, known as Bras de Fer, a Protestant leader who built an artillery platform and casemates there. At the end of the 17th century, ruined, it was sold and converted into a farm until 1966.

The site preserves remarkable remains: the 12th century dungeon (partly vented but intact in height), a enclosure with round towers, and a house of the 15th-17th centuries. Ranked and listed as historical monuments between 1963 and 1977, it also includes a barn called Protestants, perhaps an ancient temple. Recent restorations have preserved this testimony of medieval and modern castral architecture.

Owned by the family of Voyer de Paulmy d'Argenson since 1750, the castle illustrates the transformation of a fortress into a seigneurial residence and then a farm. Its history reflects the religious conflicts and social changes of the Touraine, between the Middle Ages and the modern era.

The legal protections cover the moat, the facades of the grand lodge, the dungeon and the 12th century enclosure. The site, listed in the General Inventory of Cultural Heritage, remains a rare example of a castle well adapted to military and domestic needs over nearly six centuries.

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