Château du Lude

Le Lude

Each of its four facades tells of a different century, like a book of architecture lying open over the valley of the Loir.

Built at the historic meeting point of the provinces of Maine, Anjou and Touraine, the Château du Lude was occupied by English troops during the Hundred Years' War before being acquired in 1457 by Jean Daillon, whose family gradually transformed it from a medieval fortress into a country residence. Its four facades, each in a different style, trace four centuries of architecture. The château received Henri IV in 1598 and Louis XIII in 1619, was raised to a duchy in 1675 and survived the Revolution thanks to the Marquise de La Vieuville.

Getting there : François I facade and oratory listed as historic monuments in 1928; the château as a whole registered in 1992; hydraulic tympanum listed in 2022

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound