Property of Jean Brette 1550 (≈ 1550)
Chanoine and treasurer of Tours.
1560
Amboise's conjuration
Amboise's conjuration 1560 (≈ 1560)
Legend of the conjures hidden in the cellars.
début XVIe siècle
Initial construction
Initial construction début XVIe siècle (≈ 1604)
Building the house by the canons.
fin XVIIIe siècle
Home expansion
Home expansion fin XVIIIe siècle (≈ 1895)
Uniformisation of the façade.
1913
Aborted neogothic project
Aborted neogothic project 1913 (≈ 1913)
Interrupted by World War I.
1927
Purchased by Francis Poulenc
Purchased by Francis Poulenc 1927 (≈ 1927)
He became his residence until 1963.
1er juin 1973
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 1er juin 1973 (≈ 1973)
Protection of facades and gardens.
2019
Open to the public
Open to the public 2019 (≈ 2019)
Accessible music salon and gardens.
2023
Label *House of the Illustrators*
Label *House of the Illustrators* 2023 (≈ 2023)
Homage to Francis Poulenc.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Facades and roofs; garden with its retaining wall (cad. AK 174, 175): entry by order of 1 June 1973
Key figures
Jean Brette - Chanoine and treasurer
Owner in 1550, linked to the Cathedral of Tours.
Francis Poulenc - Composer
Owner from 1927 to 1963, composed there.
Conjurés d'Amboise - Protestant rebels
Would have been hidden in 1560 (legend).
Origin and history
The house called Le Grand Coteau, located in Noizay in Indre-et-Loire, is a 16th century residence built in the heart of the vineyards of Vouvray. In 1550 it belonged to Jean Brette, canon and treasurer of the Cathedral of Tours, and was used for the production of wine for the clergy. His cellars, dug in the hillside, were said to have sheltered conjures during the Conjuration of Amboise in 1560, according to a local legend.
Originally, the house consisted of three bedrooms, a kitchen, stables, wells and cellars, with two closed courtyards. It was enlarged at the end of the 18th century towards the west, and its facade was standardized by symmetrical piercings. A neogothic project, initiated in 1913, was interrupted by World War I, leaving only window supports as traces.
Acquired in 1927 by composer Francis Poulenc, the house became his place of work and reception for figures such as Colette, Jean Cocteau or Picasso. Poulenc lived there until his death in 1963. Ranked a historic monument in 1973 for its French façades, roofs and gardens, the house preserves intact its musical salon and gardens, which have been open to the public since 2019.
The house has been labeled Maison des Illustres since 2023, in tribute to its most famous occupant. Its history reflects both its role in Tourangelle winemaking, its link with the religious disturbances of the sixteenth century, and its modern cultural heritage thanks to Francis Poulenc.
Today, Le Grand Coteau combines architectural heritage, historical memory and artistic influence, embodying nearly five centuries of local and national history.
