Château de Beauregard, Loire Valley

The Château de Beauregard is a Renaissance castle in the Loire Valley in France. It is located on the territory of the commune of Cellettes, a little south of the city of Blois and a few miles from other famous Loire châteaux such as Cheverny. Although still inhabited, it can be visited by tourists. The castle is renowned for its Gallery of portraits decorated in the 17th century with 327 portraits of famous people.

Most of the castle was built around 1545, when it was bought by Jean du Thiers, Lord of Menars, and Secretary of State to Henri II. The commissioned interior included frescoes on the fireplace of the royal chamber, which have survived. In the Great Gallery there is a fireplace in Italian style from this period. However its main feature was commissioned by Paul Ardier, Comptroller of Wars and Treasurer, who bought the château in 1617. He added further interior decorations over the next few decades, including a gallery of portraits.

The castle is built on the edge of the Russy Forest.

The ruins of a chapel, prior to the fifteenth century, are still visible in the park. It shows, in stone, shell of the pilgrims of Saint Jacques de Compostela and the motto of the crusaders "God the Volt."

The original manor house was built in the late fifteenth century by the family Doulcet. Jean Doulcet, Master of the House of Coins of Duke Charles of Orleans. In 1495, Louis of Orleans (future Louis XII), erected in the land of Beauregard lordship, was authorized by Edict build a dovecote.

The son of John Doulcet Francis, Master of the House to Deniers of Louis XII, was dismissed for defrauding the Crown during the Italian campaigns, and Beauregard then confiscated and incorporated into the royal domain.

In 1521, Francis I, who used until the castle as a hunting rendezvous, offered it to his uncle René de Savoie, who died at the Battle of Pavia in 1525, and the area fell to his widow.

In 1545 to 2000 crowns, the estate was purchased by John Thier, Secretary of State for Finance for Henry II and great humanist, protector of poets Joachim du Bellay and Pierre Ronsard.

Jean Thier was the real builder of the castle. He incorporated the old house into the new building, built in the Renaissance style, the central gallery that connected the two residential building body. The architect is unknown. From 1553, Jean du Thier, for interior decoration, appealed to many foreign artists who were working for King Henry II. The painter Niccolò dell'Abbate decorated with frescoes in the destruction of the north wing of the nineteenth century.

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Wikipedia