Château de la Verrerie, Oizon, France

The fine early Renaissance château is located on the edge of the Forêt d’Ivoy. The land was given to the Scot Sir John Stuart by Charles VII, in thanks for defeating the English at the battle of Baugé in 1421. However, the château was not built until the end of the 15th century, at which time Béraud Stuart, the grandson of John Stuart, returning from a campaign in Italy, constructed the main house to the side of the Chapel, that joined onto the Renaissance Gallery, which was built in 1525 by Robert Stuart, the son-in-law of Béraud Stuart and a comrade-in-arms of Bayard.

In 1670, the last Stuart of Aubigny died and the Château de La Verrerie, as laid down in King Charles VII deed of donation, was returned to the French crown. King Louis XIV, acting on a decree of 18 March 1673, gave the land back to Charles II, King of England, who was the direct male descendant of John Stuart. In the same year, at his request, it was given as a gift to his mistress, Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth.

La Verrerie has a lovely Renaissance gallery with 16th century frescoes. There are also frescoes in the chapel, dating from the same period.

References:

Eyewitness Travel Guide: Loire Valley. 2007
Château de la Verrerie

User Reviews

Jennie Williamson (2 years ago)
What a beautiful arrival with the chateau reflected in the lake. You can only be taken on a guided tour of the interior. We were lucky our young lady was very helpful and spoke some English. An excellent guide. She even got permission for us to see the extra rooms upstairs . The C15th Chapel has been well conserved, we loved the painted fireplace and ceiling in the bedrooms. It's nice to see such good care being taken of an historic building.

Patrick Van de Casteele (2 years ago)
Beautiful grounds, interesting history. The guide we had was very knowledgeable, enthusiastic.

George Rudenauer (2 years ago)
The Château was a magnificent setting for a press weekend we hosted at TAG Heuer for the nearby Magny-Cours Formula One competition. The accommodations and service were first rate paralleling the magical ambiance. When our helicopter from Paris circled above the château to arrive on the grounds, a large team of hounds were just returning from the hunt, and it seemed like a scene out of James Bond 007 film.

Anne Rouch (3 years ago)
Little to visit. Only a few rooms. Nicely furnished though.

Marie-Noelle JOURDIN (4 years ago)
Motorcycle ride, we go to the Château de la Verrerie, Monsieur we just wanted to know if there was a restaurant you received us with disdain you barely returned to answer us (you were discussing with a group of young people) I find the castle magnificent I thought to take my grandchildren but there are other castles in the region just as magnificent.

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The Church of the Holy Cross

The church of the former Franciscan monastery was built probably between 1515 and 1520. It is located in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Old Rauma. The church stands by the small stream of Raumanjoki (Rauma river).

The exact age of the Church of the Holy Cross is unknown, but it was built to serve as the monastery church of the Rauma Franciscan Friary. The monastery had been established in the early 15th century and a wooden church was built on this location around the year 1420.

The Church of the Holy Cross served the monastery until 1538, when it was abandoned for a hundred years as the Franciscan friary was disbanded in the Swedish Reformation. The church was re-established as a Lutheran church in 1640, when the nearby Church of the Holy Trinity was destroyed by fire.

The choir of the two-aisle grey granite church features medieval murals and frescoes. The white steeple of the church was built in 1816 and has served as a landmark for seafarers.

Château de la Verrerie

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