Château de Brissac

Brissac-Quincé, France

The Château de Brissac is a noble mansion originally built as a castle by the Counts of Anjou in the 11th century. After the victory over the English by Philip II of France, he gave the property to Guillaume des Roches. In the 15th century, the structure was rebuilt by Pierre de Brézé, a wealthy chief minister to King Charles VII. During the reign (1515–47) of Francis I, the property was acquired by René de Cossé, who the king named as governor of Anjou and Maine.

During the French Wars of Religion, Château Brissac was made a possession in 1589 by the Protestant, Henry of Navarre. Severely damaged, the fortress was scheduled to be demolished. However, Charles II de Cossé sided with Henri of Navarre who soon was crowned King of France. In gratitude, King Henry gave him the property, the title Duc de Brissac and the money to rebuild the chateau in 1611. Its construction made it the highest château in France, its façade reflecting the influences of that century’s Baroque architecture. Through marriage, the Cossé-Brissac family also acquired the Château Montreuil-Bellay but later sold it.

In August 1620, Louis XIII and his mother, Marie de Medici, met to discuss their differences in the "neutral" territory of Château Brissac. A temporary truce between the two was reached but it did not last long and the Queen Mother was eventually banished.

The descendants of the Duc de Brissac maintained the château until 1792 when the property was ransacked during the Revolution. It lay in waste until a restoration program began in 1844 that was carried on during the 19th century by the Duke's descendants.

Today, the Château Brissac is still owned by a de Cossé family member. It has seven storeys altogether, making it the tallest chateau in the Loire Valley. The chateau is open to tours and its luxurious gilded theater hosts the annual Val de Loire festival. It was also used as a location for Brazilian celebrity magazine "Caras" until recently.

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Address

Le Château, Brissac-Quincé, France
See all sites in Brissac-Quincé

Details

Founded: 11th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in France
Historical period: Birth of Capetian dynasty (France)

More Information

en.wikipedia.org
www.chateau-brissac.fr

Rating

4.4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Cháteau de Angers (15,5 km)
Musée des Blindés (31 km)
Château de Saumur (30,4 km)
Angers Cathedral (15,3 km)
Maison d'Adam (15,2 km)
Museé des Beaux Arts (15,2 km)
Château de Montreuil-Bellay (33,1 km)
St. Peter's Church (30,2 km)
Cunault Abbey Church (19 km)

User Reviews

Mel Bowler (2 years ago)
Very impressive château with plenty to see inside. The grounds are not formal, but are great for a country walk with fabulous views of the 7-floor château. The christmas market in mid-November is spectacular - festive shopping and a wander around the chateau in one visit!
Sarah Stephens (2 years ago)
We were initially told we had to stay with the tour, but 1.5 hours into the detailed tour, I noticed other ppl wandering around - visitors who were given the option of guided or not!! I wish I'd known that. Over one hour us too much for me, let alone my kids!! Great castle impeccably presented. Amazing gardens. Cosey basic salon de thé which was great for us. I still don't know how long the tour goes for!!
Margaret Baker (2 years ago)
Fantastic chateau and grounds, so peaceful to sit at the side of the canal after a long walk. Had a very tasty piece of cake and cup of tea in cafe . Don't think they do any other foods. Well worth the visit
David Anderson (2 years ago)
Spot on! Great place. In very good condition, considering it's age. Friendly guide, good wine shop and a cafe. Steeped in French history with lots of historical connections. Great!
John B Sidebottom (2 years ago)
I am disabled so was unable to access the Magnificent chateau because of steps which is fine. Clearly an historic building is difficult / impossible to change. I did see the stables, wine cellar and kitchen which were excellent. I toured the Jardins on my scooter and they are very well kept. The staff were very helpful and in particular a lady in the ground asked if i was OK. ( I guess she was the Lady of the Château. Very charming)
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Luxembourg Palace

The famous Italian Medici family have given two queens to France: Catherine, the spouse of Henry II, and Marie, widow of Henry IV, who built the current Luxembourg palace. Maria di Medici had never been happy at the Louvre, still semi-medieval, where the fickle king, did not hesitate to receive his mistresses. The death of Henry IV, assassinated in 1610, left the way open for Marie's project. When she became regent, she was able to give special attention to the construction of an imposing modern residence that would be reminiscent of the Palazzo Pitti and the Boboli Gardens in Florence, where she grew up. The development of the 25-hectare park, which was to serve as a jewel-case for the palace, began immediately.

The architect, Salomon de Brosse, began the work in 1615. Only 16 years later was the palace was completed. Palace of Luxembourg affords a transition between the Renaissance and the Classical period.

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The new wing included a library (bibliothèque) with a cycle of paintings (1845–1847) by Eugène Delacroix. In the 1850s, at the request of Emperor Napoleon III, Gisors created the highly decorated Salle des Conférences, which influenced the nature of subsequent official interiors of the Second Empire, including those of the Palais Garnier.

During the German occupation of Paris (1940–1944), Hermann Göring took over the palace as the headquarters of the Luftwaffe in France, taking for himself a sumptuous suite of rooms to accommodate his visits to the French capital. Since 1958 the Luxembourg palace has been the seat of the French Senate of the Fifth Republic.

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