Château des Lions
CastleHidden Treasure
Château des Lions, located in Preuilly-sur-Claise (Indre-et-Loire), is a Renaissance château built in the 16th century. The monument is currently closed to visitors.
Key facts
- Type
- Castle
- Period
- Renaissance (16th century)
- Location
- Preuilly-sur-Claise, Indre-et-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire
- Visit
- Closed to visitors
- GPS
- 46.8559, 0.9311
- Mérimée Reference
- PA00097923
The Château des Lions, the first barony of Touraine, stands with its medieval silhouette in the heart of Preuilly-sur-Claise. A fortress with a history of resilience spanning centuries, linked to Charles VII and the secret shadow of Agnès Sorel.
© Wikimedia Commons / Wikipedia
History
Perched in the gentle bocage of Touraine, Château des Lions is much more than a romantic ruin: it is the living memory of the first barony of Touraine, a title that made it one of the most prestigious seigneuries in the kingdom of France. The estate exudes a noble and touching austerity - the kind of austere building that has survived wars, abandonment and centuries, and yet still retains its architectural dignity. What makes this monument so special is the rare interweaving of military strategy and royal destiny. The fortress was the scene of fierce sieges during the Hundred Years' War, before being restored by a man trusted by King Charles VII, Pierre Frottier, who was entrusted with the education of Jeanne, the illegitimate daughter of the sovereign and Agnès Sorel. This link with the royal favourite, an emblematic figure of the French court, gives the château a romantic dimension that few rural buildings can claim. The visit can be taken as a stroll through time, from the feudal arched gateway to the round tower, the ground floor of which was used as a prison. The surrounding wall, still partly standing, evokes the impressive scale of this baronial fortress. For the attentive visitor, each stone structure tells the story of a siege, a reconstruction or an abandonment. The natural setting reinforces this melancholy and grandiose atmosphere. Preuilly-sur-Claise, a small Touraine town bathed by the River Claise, offers a lush green setting that contrasts with the ruggedness of the medieval walls. Photographers and lovers of medieval history will find it an inexhaustible source of material, far from the crowds of the more publicised Loire châteaux.
Architecture
Château des Lions bears witness to typical medieval military architecture of the 14th and 15th centuries, where the defensive imperative took precedence over any aesthetic concerns. The complex retains a number of features characteristic of the baronial fortresses of southern Touraine: a surrounding wall that still almost entirely encircles the estate, a reminder of the imposing size that the fortress once occupied within the town of Preuilly. The southern entrance is the most remarkable piece of architecture still standing. A feudal barrel gate - a late Romanesque round arch - is flanked by a round tower with thick walls, a classic feature of medieval fortified castles designed to cover the main entrance from the side. This tower is flanked by a small pavilion-roofed dwelling, whose more modest size and pyramid-shaped roof suggest that it was built or remodelled in the 15th century, perhaps during work carried out under Pierre Frottier. The ground floor of the round tower, with its low ceilings and poor lighting, was traditionally used as a prison, a common practice in seigniorial fortresses. The materials used are those of the region: local dressed stone in warm limestone tones, probably quarried in the Claise valley. Although only partial, the architectural ensemble is stylistically coherent, reminiscent of the great rural fortresses of the Middle Loire, halfway between the austerity of Romanesque keeps and the first decorative concessions of the Flamboyant Gothic style.
Related Figures
Atton, vicomte — premier seigneur connu de Preuilly, fondateur du château du Lion en 930Pierre Frottier — seigneur restaurateur du château vers 1422, conseiller de confiance de Charles VIICharles VII — roi de France qui confia à Frottier l'éducation de sa fille naturelle JeanneAgnès Sorel — favorite de Charles VII, mère de Jeanne éduquée à Preuilly, dite « Dame de Beauté »Jeanne de France (fille naturelle de Charles VII) — éduquée au château sous la tutelle de Frottier
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Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Château des Lions located?
Château des Lions is located in Preuilly-sur-Claise, Indre-et-Loire department, Centre-Val de Loire region, France.
When was Château des Lions built?
Château des Lions dates back to a period built during the Renaissance (16th century).
Is Château des Lions open to visitors?
Château des Lions is currently closed to visitors.