CASTLE OF THE DUKES OF LA TRÉMOÏLLE
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Castle with the chapel-collegiate of Notre-Dame, vestiges of the former decoration and architectural elements painted in trompe-l'oeil
Commissioned by Duke Henry de La Trémoïlle and his wife Marie de La Tour d'Auvergne, Turenne's sister. A first pavilion was built in 1635, leading to the destruction of the ducal fortress. The new château, in the purest Louis XIII style, was designed by Jacques Lemercier, a royal architect famous for his work at Versailles, the Louvre and Richelieu. The 110 m-long façade and porticoed gallery of the main courtyard make it one of the most important residences of its time. Outside, clever terraced gardens lead to the orangery, built 1695-1705 by two masters of the art, Jules-Hardouin Mansart and Jacques V Gabriel. In 1707, a sumptuous stable project was launched. The La Trémoïlle family abandoned their fiefdom when the court of Louis XIV moved to Versailles.
The château has housed a public secondary school since the 1930s, which is why it is only open on Sundays in summer. The guided tour is led by one of the town's guides-conférenciers. A few vestiges of the sumptuous décor of yesteryear remain, including the ceiling of Marie de la Tour d'Auvergne's study, various trompe-l'œil painted architectural elements and the kitchen fireplaces.
Finally, you'll discover the chapel-collegiate of Notre-Dame, an earlier construction (1503), privately owned since 1987 and attached to the Vatican, which will be restored in 2023. In its lower chapel lie the tombs of the Dukes of La Trémoïlle, which can only be viewed during the summer festival.
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La chapelle du château est jolie mais pas plus ouverte à la visite que le château.