Chateau de la Bourdaisiere A Magnificent French Castle

An image of Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley in France.

An image of the main entrance gate to Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

One of my hopes on our trip to France was to spend a night in a “real” castle like Chateau de la Bourdaisiere.  By happenstance we learned about this castle when we came upon a little tourist information booth along a country road in the Loire Valley.  It happened to be staffed by an English-speaking young woman. 

An image of the main entrance sign at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley in France.

After reservations were secured by phone at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere, we traveled some distance through the countryside to our accommodation not knowing exactly what was in store for us.

An image of the main building at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

I was thrilled when we pulled up to an impressive stone gate controlling entrance to the chateau’s estate.  On the other side of the imposing gate, the castle revealed itself at the end of a very long lane and was situated at the top of a low rise.  It looked magnificent!  Chateau de la Bourdaisiere was our home for the next two days, and we were going to be made to feel like a king and queen.

An image of Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley in France.

The Chateau de la Bourdaisiere  is a stately castle dating from the XVth century.  It is designated as a monument historique, or a National Heritage Site of France.  Little did we know of the sordid history of the place.  It began life as a fortress but changed hands several times over the centuries.

Marie Gaudin

In 1520, the King of France, King Francis Ier, had a new castle constructed on the site, built for his mistress, Marie Gaudin.  After her death, the property remained in the family’s hands.  In later years, Marie Gaudin’s great-granddaughter, Gabrielle d’Estrees, was born in the chateau and went on to become mistress to another king, Henry IV of France.

An image of a hallway inside Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley in France.

Lavish decor greeted us as soon as we entered through the grand doors of the palatial edifice.  I immediately recalled the black and white tiled floors of Versailles that so impressed me.

An image of the hallway at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

Opulence existed everywhere I turned, and I was quick to embrace the grandeur of the place.

An image of a fireplace at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

Being free to explore the endless corridors, secret staircases and expansive rooms of this regal castle, Bob and I felt as if we owned the place.  No other guests were booked to arrive, so we had the whole place to ourselves.

An image of the library at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

An image of the living room at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

An image of a stone hallway at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley in France.

While Bob unpacked some of his belongings, I roamed about the vacant hallways and hidden stairwells.  I was inspired by the wavering shadows and mysterious nooks to investigate around every corner.

An image of a pantry room in Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

A peek into the scullery revealed a homey, warm atmosphere, but nary a maid to be seen.

hotel room at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere - Loire Valley - France

The hostess, upon our arrival, had generously given us an upgrade to a suite located on the third floor.  Our room, like the others, was spacious and decorated in the spirit of taste and refinement demonstrated by the women who made history there.  It was bright and inviting and afforded a panoramic view of the traditional French gardens from the twin paned window.

wooden supports in hotel room at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere - Loire Valley - France

After a luxurious bubble bath, I settled in for a dreamy sleep…until a mosquito came buzzing around my ears.  No establishments in France, or other parts of Europe as far as I know, utilize screens on the windows, and we had ours flung wide to let in the fresh, aromatic night air.  The mosquito was quickly dispatched, and Bob and I drifted off with thoughts of royalty that had once slept in that very room.

An image of breakfast room service at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France

We had opted for breakfast at bedside where we basked in early morning sunshine in our private retreat.

An image of the battlement ruins at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

Our room faced east overlooking the front terrace at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere.

An image of the front lawn at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

With breakfast completed, it was time to explore the 55-hectare property and to enjoy the quietude found in the heart of the park-like setting.

An image of the stone garden gate at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

An image of the forest and lawns at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley in France.

Although modest in comparison to the extensive property at Versailles, it no less impressed us with the regal flair of symmetry and precision.

An image of a stone wall and gate at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley in France.

I couldn’t get enough of the ambience that surrounded us nor the history visible at our every step.  Beside each stone archway, brick wall and ivy-clad facade, I could feel shadows of the past walking with me.

An image of the moat between the castle walls at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

As I mentioned already, Chateau de la Bourdaisiere was originally a medieval fortress that overlooked the Cher and the Loire Rivers.  The walls of the moat still remain in tact, and it was easy to imagine how they served to defend the castle from English invasions at the time.  As part of our self-guided tour, Bob and I walked through the now dry moats on both the north and east sides of the chateau.

An image of the entrance to the moat between the castle walls at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

The moats were divided into sections by substantial buttressed walls and archways, while simple plantings of trimmed and shaped shrubs nicely edged the garden space that now exists within the confines of the moats’ walls.

An image of the stone garden gate at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

It was between 1518-1522 that Philibert Babou transformed the medieval fortress into a Renaissance Castle with large windows, reception rooms and 3 drawbridges to the terrace.  Philibert Babou was the husband of Marie Gaudin who was the mistress of King Francis I.  As such, Philibert received numerous charges and honours that brought a huge fortune to the family.

An image of a tree lined laneway at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

The Chateau de la Bourdaisiere is located near the biggest castles in the Loire Valley and in the middle of the vineyards of Montlouis and Vouvray, but when wandering through the giant woodlot on the property, we could’ve been miles from anywhere.

An image of a stonewall fence on the border of Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley in France.

Our walk took us to the furthest reaches of the property where we found the original stone wall that secured the castle proper.

An image of the stone border wall at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

An image of jarred tomatoes on shelves at Chateau de la Bourdaisiere in the Loire Valley, France.

In our next blog posting, we will delve into the management of the gardens and the castle that now follows the principles of sustainability.  The present owner is actively working to conserve ancient species in both the vegetable and flower gardens that were both impressive in and of themselves.  In fact, in 2011, the chateau’s gardens were a finalist for the European Garden Award bestowed by the European Garden Heritage Network.

Related:

An image of Claude Monet's Water-Lily Pond in Giverny, France.

Monet’s Garden, Our Tour of Giverny and the Water Pond

An image of the Hall of Mirrors in the Palace of Versailles in France.

Touring The Palace of Versailles – A Monument to Royal Grandeur

Frame To Frame – Bob and Jean

2 comments

  • So beautiful. When I look at the pictures, I get a huge lump in my throat. I’m not sure why, but I am very moved by your pictures and the history you share.

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