Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Sancerre was built at the end of the 14th century on an isolated hill of the Sancerrois, 150 meters above the Loire valley. This strategic site allowed the Counts of Sancerre to control the commercial routes between Bourbonnais, Orléanais and Nivernais. The fortified city of Sancerre developed at its feet, protecting the least abrupt access to the hill.

The castle was the seat of the Counts of Sancerre, a powerful family whose members held key positions, such as Louis de Sancerre, a connetable of France. He also welcomed the future Charles VII and Joan of Arc, stressing his importance at the border of the kingdom. The fortifications, now almost disappeared, were demolished in 1621, leaving only the Fief tower, a 14th century cylindrical dungeon, and some remains of cellars.

The Fiefs Tower, classified as a historical monument in 1927, houses a private museum on the ground floor, with armor and pellets dating from the siege of 1573, as well as an 18th century chapel upstairs. A wooden staircase was added in 1856 by Armand de Crussol, Duke of Uzès. The rest of the site has been occupied since 1874 by a Louis XII style mansion, surrounded by a park.

The historic wine estate, formerly linked to the castle and covering 55 hectares in AOC Sancerre, was separated in 2017 and is now owned by the Maison Ackerman. The castle itself, after several changes of owners, was renovated in 2025 to become a hotel combining guest rooms, a gourmet table and a treatment room.

Among the notable owners are the Marnier-Lapostolle family, which founded the wine estate in 1919 and kept it until 2016, when it was sold to the Campari group. The Fief Tower, meanwhile, remains accessible to the public and bears witness to the medieval and Renaissance history of the region.

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