Description
The chateau came in to the family in
1220 when Demoiselle Quitterie du Fraisse, last descendant of the family of the
same name, wed Urbain des Monstiers. In the XIII° century, the castle was a
"noble dwelling". There is not much left of it today. It was burnt in 1356 by
the army of prince Edward of Wales, the famous Black Prince. It was rebuilt
after the Hundred Years War by Sir Jacques des Monstiers. It forms what we now
call the "vieux château" from the XV° century, which forms the right hand part
of the buildings.
The Central part of the castle is the result of it's designer's taste for
Italian Renaissance. As bishop of Bayonne, but also ambassador of the kings
François 1er and Henri II to Charles Quint, Jean des Monstiers has had a
remarkable diplomatic career. He retreated to the chateau and decided to rebuild
a large part of his ancestral home.
On the first floor is a large dining room in which the visitor can see a
beautiful fire-place designed by Serlio.
The stables stretch the north-east, along the "canal" where the original moat
remains. Its roof "à la mansard" is typical of the XVII° century.
Activities
On site activities:
Tennis (One tennis court)
Fishing (river and pond fishing)
Close by:
Classical Festival of the Haut-Limousin
Horse riding
Mountain Bike
Hike and pony trek
Mortemart, award winning prettiest village
Chassenon (Roman thermals)
Oradour sur Glane (Second World War martyr village)
Limoges (Porcelain industry)
Monts de Blond
Receptions
The Château will welcome your receptions, family events and weddings. The large
reception room can guest up to 320 persons.
