Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Ars, located in Lourouer-Saint-Laurent in Indre, finds its origins in the fourteenth century, although its first owners and the exact date of its construction remain unknown. The first written mentions appeared at the beginning of the 15th century, when Perrin de Bourges married Marguerite d'Ars, bringing the seigneury of Ars into the family. This estate, probably linked to Geoffroy d'Ars (cited in 1292 as vassal of the lord of La Châtre), then passed to their descendants, including Perrin II de Bourges, lord of Ars in 1435.

Louis d'Ars, born around 1465, became one of the prominent figures of the castle. He was captain of a hundred gunmen and then lieutenant under Charles VIII and Louis XII, and distinguished during the Italian wars (1493-1512). Rewarded by Louis XII, who erected the land of Ars as a marquisate, then by Francis I, who named him Duke of Terme in 1516, he accumulated titles and riches. When she died around 1530, the seigneury returned to her sister Marguerite, who sold her to Marguerite Douerou, wife of Jean de la Forest.

In the 16th century, Anne de la Forest and her husband Pierre de Chamborant completed the modernization of the castle, including its facade. The estate then changed hands several times, passing through seizures, sales and inheritances, until its acquisition in 1782 by the brothers Jean-Baptiste and Jacques Papet. Their descendant, Gustave Papet (1812-1892), George Sand's friend, was born at the castle and became Frédéric Chopin's doctor. George Sand also inspired the place in his novel Les Beaux Messieurs de Bois-Doré and evoked his attachment to the castle in his Letters from a traveller.

Built in 1926, the castle of Ars has been owned by the town of La Châtre since 1980. Today, it hosts exhibitions such as those dedicated to Chopin (2010) or sculptor Ernest Nivet (2011), as well as festivals and cultural events. The park, created in the 18th century by Jean-Jérôme Bardon, serves as a framework for annual events, including Le Son continu (July) and Le Motocoeur (August).

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