Places to Visit

At the start of the 11th century, Foulques Nerra who was responsible for many of the medieval fortresses of the Loire Valley, had one built on top of a rocky promontory overlooking the Indrois Valley as a defence against potential invaders. A double enclosure wall surrounding the keep is still apparent. The massive corner towers and the 12th century gate towers remain impressive because of their powerful feudal architecture designed for defensive purposes. At the base of the castle, along the Indrois, a picturesque village developed.

The chateau passed into the hands of the Bastarnay family in 1493. They had a fine residence built within the fortress walls and also founded the collegiate church.It became a charming peacetime residence surrounded by the original feudal defence system. Over time it past into the ownership of the Beauvilliers family where it remained for over a century until 1831.
In 1849, Xavier Branicki,a Polish count who had developed a friendship with Napoléon III, acquired the château. Army officer, politician and financier, he was one of the founders of the Crédit Foncier de France bank in 1852. A noteworthy art collector and patron, the count decorated the château with many valuable pieces of furniture, paintings and art objects. He was also the one who donated paintings to the collegiate church that had originally been part of the collection of Cardinal Fesch, the uncle of Napoléon I.

The castle still belongs to the descendants of Count Branicki today.

The village itself is clustered around the base of the castle, and has some very pretty little houses spread along the Indrois River, and some equally attractive half-timbered houses.