09 June 2016

Large images of the Château de Saint-Aignan in the Loir-et-Cher

One thing about the recent high waters on the Cher and the localized flooding is positive: it got me back into old Saint-Aignan with my camera again. It had been a few years since I'd played the tourist in my own home town (well, adopted town). First photo: here's what you see when you enter Saint-Aignan from the north, coming from Blois.


Yes, that's the château. It looms over the town and the river. It's not open to the public. As far as I know, the owner, a woman who is an aristocrat — une marquise, actually — still lives there. Her husband the marquis passed away more than a decade ago. She's elderly now, and I don't know what will happen to the château when she passes on. Maybe her heirs will decide to let people like us in to see the place.


Above is a view of a section of the château that I took from the road that runs along the river, near the bridge. I'm posting these images at a pretty large size. Click on them to open them in a new window, and click again when you see the magnifying glass icon with a plus sign in it.


Seen from the back when you arrive from Blois, the Château de Saint-Aignan might look a little eclectic (a hodgepodge of styles). But seen from the front, it's a beautiful Renaissance edifice. You can't go inside, but you can trudge up a gravel path, or a paved tree-lined road, or up a grand staircase from the nearby church, and spend some time on the château terrace to get a good look at the exterior of the buildings, as well as views out over the river valley.

11 comments:

  1. There is so much difference between the two sides of the chateau they don't seem to belong to the same building!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. As I understood it at the time, the chateau de Saint-Aignan belonged to a cousin of my late neighbor in Paris. I should have tried to get a recommendation from her. Too late!

      Delete
    2. Off topic attempt at html:
      Here is a link about the musée municipal at Péronne in Hauts-de-France.

      Delete
    3. Hooray! It almost worked. The THE should not be in yellow. Next time I'll know better.

      Delete
    4. L'auto portrait est fabuleux ( ainsi que les autres soi-dit en passant) et ressemble à quelqu'un :-)

      Delete
  2. Our village chateau (much smaller) also is a hodgepodge of styles and eras. The various owners just kept adding on. Probably the same thing happened here.
    My bet is it will be turned into a hotel after la marquise passes. Some of these big places got converted into government offices (as in our village), but austerity has put a stop to that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wonder if the owners could get permission to turn such a château into a hotel. They do already have two gîtes on the property.

      Delete
  3. I like the hodgepodge of the building. I hope it will be used in a good way someday. It is quite safe from high waters like your home.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ken

    A little piece that I found whilst doing a search on the Château:
    http://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/Loir-et-Cher/Communes/Saint-Aignan/n/Contenus/Articles/2015/07/09/Occupation-des-temoignages-filmes-2397786

    Mareuil is mentioned .

    A bit more about the family:

    En Indre-et-Loire, les la Roche Aymon gèrent le domaine du Mousseau à Saint-Aignan. La famille gère également en Groupement Forestier des forêts à Vandenesse et Saint-Aignan-sur-Cher (Indre-et-Loire) et intervient à Arles, dans les Bouches-du-Rhônes, dans les GFA du Vedeau, des Charlots, de Barcarin Ouest et au GRPT agricole Foncier de Barcarin Est
    Roche Aymon

    ReplyDelete
  5. So, what exactly is a marquis(e)? I've wondered, too, about what the difference is between a count and a duke. I imagine I can find answers if I Google around, but your post just made of think of what I don't know LOL :)

    ReplyDelete

What's on your mind? Qu'avez-vous à me dire ?