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Origin and history

The Little Castle of Autry-le-Châtel, built in the 4th quarter of the 15th century, was originally a fief dependent on the seigneury of Saint-Brisson, itself attached to Sancerre. This rectangular castle is distinguished by a polygonal tower of stairs to the north and two circular towers to the south, one of which houses a 15th century oratory. The court of honour, girdled with moat once in water, and the dovecote with a hybrid structure (square exterior, rotunda interior) testify to its defensive and agricultural importance.

In the 17th century, the castle welcomed Madame de Sévigné, cousin of the owner Anne Marie de Coulanges. About ten of his letters, dated from Autry, evoke his stay. This link with the Marquise, a major figure in French epistolary literature, gives the place a significant cultural dimension. The facades, roofs, earths and moats have been protected since 1971 by an inscription in the Historical Monuments.

Architecturally, the castle combines residential functions (oratory, housing) and power symbols (douves, dovecote). The latter, typical of seigneurial estates, served both as a pigeon rearing and as a social marker. The lower courtyard, now partially visible, completed this medieval ensemble, reflecting the spatial organization of the Loiret fief during the Renaissance.

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