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Castle of Courtalain and its outbuildings à Arrou dans l'Eure-et-Loir

Patrimoine classé
Patrimoine défensif
Château de la Loire
Château Médiéval et Renaissance
Eure-et-Loir

Castle of Courtalain and its outbuildings

    4 Courtalain
    28290 Vald'Yerre
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Château de Courtalain et ses dépendances
Crédit photo : Binche - Sous licence Creative Commons

Timeline

Bas Moyen Âge
Renaissance
Temps modernes
Révolution/Empire
XIXe siècle
Époque contemporaine
1500
1600
1700
1800
1900
2000
1483
Construction of the castle
1553
Passage to Montmorency
1862
Transmission to Gontaut-Biron
31 août - 6 septembre 1939
Deposit of works of the Louvre
juin 1940
Evacuation to Saint-Blancard
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui

Heritage classified

Facades and roofs of the castle (cad. A 10): inscription by decree of 9 July 1926 - Staircase in main screw of the castle; facades and roofs of the outbuildings of the middle of the eighteenth century (press room, stables, stables, car sheds, barn, house of servants and manager, laundry) , entrance pavilion of the courtyard of the communes, walls that close or subdivide this courtyard with their gates ; Caroline pavilion with its decor; facades and roofs of the orangery; facades and roofs of the lighter plant and remains of the ovens; facades and roofs of the concierge to the church square; pavilions of the vegetable garden and its fence wall; moat (cad. A 4 to 8, 10, 11, 17 to 19; B 90, 76, 77): inscription by order of 10 May 1991 - Façades and roofs of the guardhouse, on the road to Châtillon-en-Dunois (cad. Arrou XW 36): inscription by order of 10 May 1991 - Landscape park consisting of the meadow and great perspectives around the castle (see A 1, 2, 6; B 322, 323) , as well as its unprotected built elements: cooler (non-cadastral box) , wall of enclosure preserved around the main axes of access to the castle and moats along the C.D. No 927 (Box A 1 ; B 166) , facades and roofs of the guard pavilion at the entrance of the gangway of access to the moats since C.D. No 927 (Box B 96) , southern facade and roof of the gardener's pavilion and greenhouse support wall (demolia) (Box A 3) : inscription by order of 21 May 1997

Key figures

Guillaume d'Avaugour - Founder of the castle Husband of Perette de Baif, builder in 1483.
Perette de Baif - Aunt of Jean-Antoine de Baif Tomb visible in the church of Courtalain.
Jean-Antoine de Baïf - Pleiade Poet Neveu de Perette, friend of Ronsard.
Anne Charles de Gontaut-Biron - Current Owner Direct down, domain manager.
Marquis de Gontaut-Biron (1940) - Protector of works of art Offered Saint-Blancard to house the collections.

Origin and history

The castle of Courtalain, located in Vald'Yerre (former commune of Courtalain en Eure-et-Loir), was built in 1483 by Guillaume d'Avaugour, husband of Perette de Baif, aunt of the poet Jean-Antoine de Baif, member of the Pléiade and close to Ronsard. The tomb of Perette de Baif, still visible, is located in the local church. This castle marked history by its passage into the Montmorency family in 1553, through the marriage of Jacqueline d'Avaugour with Pierre I of Montmorency-Fosseux, before traversing nine generations of this lineage.

During the French Revolution, the estate was briefly occupied by a marshal-ferrant and a butcher, expelled during the Restoration. In 1862 he entered the Gontaut-Biron house through the union of the niece of the last Duke of Montmorency with Louis de Gontaut-Biron. Today, the castle remains inhabited by their descendants, including Anne Charles de Gontaut-Biron and his wife, Marie de Roussy de Sales. Its architecture combines Renaissance, English neogothic and 18th century styles, surrounded by an English garden planted with Lebanese cedars.

During World War II, Courtalain served as a secret repository for the works of the Louvre (Egyptian antiques, tapestries of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, Malmaison collections) from August 31 to September 6, 1939. Threatened by the German advance in June 1940, the works were transferred to the Château de Saint-Blancard. Ranked a historic monument, the estate now offers weddings, guest rooms and events, perpetuating its role as a living place.

The park, naturally isolated, and the imposing buildings bear witness to its turbulent history, between family heritage and national issues. The outbuildings, protected as historical monuments, complete this remarkable ensemble at the crossroads of Perche and Dunois.

Future

Today, the estate is run by Anne Charles de Gontaut-Biron. It offers the organization of weddings, guest rooms and events of all kinds.

External links

Conditions of visit

  • Conditions de visite : Ouvert toute l'année
  • Période d'ouverture : Horaires, jours et tarifs sur le site du château ci-dessus.