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Castle of the Loire Valley : BRÉZÉ
Encircle of dried-up ditches (the deepest of Europe 18 metres and 13 metres wide), the sumptuous castle, built with the « tuffeau » extracted
from the ditches, is an architectural jewel since 1060. It has been transformed during the 16 th century and the 19th. Today it's the residence
of descendants of ancients lords : The Brézé : Louis married the very beautiful Diane de St Vallier, more known as Diane de
Poitier. The Maillé –Brézé : they are the first to modify considerably the castle. From 1948 Gilles de Brézé
obtains from king René the authorization to fortify the castle and to dig ditches 10 to 12 metres deep.
The Colbert : by her weding en 1959, with the Comte Bernard de Colbert , Charlotte de Dreux-Brézé, transmit the domain to this illustrious
familly who still live in today. In 1558, Arthur de Maillé-Brézé built the renaissance castle with Italian style.
The domain is erected « en Marquisat » in 1615 by Louis XIII and Urbain de Maillé Brézé becomes the first Marquis. He married Nicole du Plessis,
the sister of the Grand Richelieu and had 2 children : Armand, Grand Amiral de France, who died tragically without issue in Tuscan when he
was 27 years old, and Claire-Clémence.
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Castle of the Loire Valley : ABBAYE DE FONTEVRAUD
Founded in 1101 by Robert d'Arbrissel and ruled over for centuries by the most powerful of abbesses, the Abbey of Fontevraud was,
before the Revolution, the richest and most important monastery in France. During the 12th century, the abbey gained great prestige.
It was favoured by the support of the Plantagenet family, Counts of Anjou and Kings of England. The Abbess was answerable only to
the Pope in spiritual matters and the King in temporal affairs. Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Richard the Lionheart and Isabelle
d'Angoulème (widow of John Lackland - King John) are buried at Fontevraud. Their recumbent statues, which rested on their
tombs can still be seen today and show their influence on the Abbey dynasty. The Abbey church is as majestic as a cathedral and
was edified at the beginning of the 12th century built on the foundation of a first church of more modest dimensions. Its Roman
façade was renewed in 1504 in a more flamboyant style, but converted back to its original state in 1901 by the architect Lucien Magne.
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Castle of the Loire Valley : MONTSOREAU
With the confluence of the Loire and Vienne, Montsoreau allured by the originality of its architectural choices and by its situation.
The castle of Montsoreau is, indeed, the single castle « ligérien » builds « the feet » in water. Exceptional site also, by this architecture
between two worlds, the modern Middle Ages and times. Semi fortress, semi-castle of approvals. During the wars of religion, Montsoreau is
a stronghold « papist » vis-a-vis in Saumur the Protestant place. The son of Philippe de Chambes, massacres the local Protestants. His brother,
Charles de Chambes, husband of Francoise de Maridor (the Diane of Alexandre Dumas) made assassinate Bussy d'Amboise, at the time of an ambush.
It is the topic of the novel of Alexandre Dumas : La dame de Montsoreau.
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