Twenty years ago, after our arrival in the Loire Valley and our visit to Chenonceau on our first day in the car, we stopped in Montrichard and had lunch. Less than two years later, we would be back in Montrichard working with a real estate agent to find a house in the area that we might want to buy and live in. Anyway, in October 2000, our next stop would be in the village of Fougères-sur-Bièvre. We wanted to see a château there that CHM had told us about. Here's what the Cadogan guidebook for the Loire Valley says about it:
"The Château de Fougères-sur-Bièvre [12 miles north of Saint-Aignan, 10 miles south of Blois] is a bit of an odd man out in this area [the Loire Valley]. Most of the other châteaux open to the public around these parts are characterized by openness, generally constructed of sparkling clean-cut blocks of white stone, the towers roomy and decorative. Fougères looks defensively medieval, with its massed turrets, its small irregular stones, and its inner courtyard paranoically enclosed on all four sides. Despite the stern exterior, the château you see was built in the last quarter of the 15th century."
In other words, this château was an anachronism when it was built. Châteaux built toward the end of the 15th century and into the 16th were no longer fortresses. They were built as comfortable residences — but not Fougères. By the way, Fougères-sur-Bièvre is just 12 miles north of Saint-Aignan, the same distance east of Amboise, and about 10 miles south of Blois.
In later centuries, the original moat at Fougères was filled in. The château was used as a poor house in the early years of the 20th century. In 1932 it was acquired by the French government. During World War II, some of France’s greatest art collections were stored at Fougères for safe-keeping. Over the years, the interior has been stripped of its furnishings and decoration, making it a place where you can see how such medieval châteaux-forts were put together. Thanks to CHM for telling us of its existence more than 20 years ago.
The first time I saw the chateau at Fougères-sur-Bièvre was in 1954. I was coming back from Southern France, on my Vespa motor scooter, and going to Amboise to meet cousins of mine who were on vacation there. It was also at that time that I stopped at Chenonceau and other places like the Pagoda at Chanteloup.
ReplyDeleteThere is another river called Bièvre (old French for beaver). It flows into the Seine in Paris on the left bank. It cannot be seen because it is mostly covered!
DeleteAccording to wikipédia.fr, there are three other rivers in France called Bièvre, in la Moselle, l'Isère, and les Ardennes.
Deletechm, your memory amazes me! I have no idea what I was doing in 1954, probably playing with my dolls.
DeleteHi BettyAnn, My Vespa was my first motor vehicle and I bought it in 1954! I'm sure you remember the year you got your first car.
DeleteOn that same trip, I had a memorable lunch at the Hôtel des Trois Marchands in Cheverny. Years later, I had diner at the same restaurant with Ken and friends of his. He might remember, but I don't know what year it was!
I can't remember what year it was that we had lunch aux Trois Marchands. Some time about 12 or 15 years ago. Harriet and Alfred bought their house here in 2005. I don't think you were here in 2006, because Frank wasn't doing well. Maybe 2007 or 2008? I can't find anything on my blog about the Trois Marchands.
DeleteEven though the small windows make it look very much like a fortress, I find it quite attractive. What is the large conical shaped frame thing in the first picture? A pen for animals or ?
ReplyDeleteI think it might have had exotic-looking chickens in it.
DeleteSo, this isn't the Château de Fougères that is a walled-in medieval fortress -- I know they do this with names, and the one you're showing is sur Bièvre. I think the one I'm thinking of is in the town of Fougères. You told me about Fougères, when I was planning my trip 3 years ago -- I thought you were referring to the one in Fougères, but maybe you were meaning this one you're showing today?
ReplyDeleteHow does Fougères come to be part of the name of more than one château?
It's still attractive...the original reflective moat probably added to its beauty. Maybe they silt up over time.
ReplyDeleteI like the bird house? I'm not exactly sure what it is, but it is attractive.
ReplyDeleteI have been suffering from a deadly disease (Hsv) for the past 2 years now, I had spent a lot of money going from one places to another, from churches to churches, hospitals have been my home every day residence. Constant checks up have been my hobby not until this faithful day, I was searching through the internet, I saw a testimony on how Dr Oyagu helped someone in curing his (Hsv) herpes disease, quickly I copied his email which is oyaguherbalhome@gmail.com just to give him a test I spoke to him, he asked me to do some certain things which I did, he told me that he is going to provide the herbal cure to me, which he did, then he asked me to go for medical checkup after some days after using the herbal cure, behold I was free from the deadly disease, he only asked me to post the testimony through the whole world, faithfully am doing it now, please brothers and sisters, he is great, I owe him in return. if you are having a similar problem just email him on oyaguherbalhome@gmail.com visit his website https://oyaguspellcaster.wixsite.com/oyaguherbalhome Or whatsapp him via +2348101755322
ReplyDelete