Château de Selles-sur-Cher | |
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Location of Château de Selles-sur-Cher in the Centre-Val de Loire region
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General information | |
Architectural style | French Renaissance |
Town or city | Selles-sur-Cher, Loir-et-Cher, Centre-Val de Loire |
Country | France |
Coordinates | 47°16′28″N 1°32′59″E / 47.274564°N 1.549775°E |
Completed | 1612 |
Renovated | 1913 |
Client | Philippe de Béthune |
Owner | Nicolas Mazzesi and his wife Katherine Wu |
Design and construction | |
Architect | Jacques Androuet II du Cerceau |
Renovating team | |
Architect | Pierre Chauvallon (1913) |
Website | |
chateau-selles-sur-cher |
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Designated | 1926 |
Reference no. | IA00012639 |
Château de Selles-sur-Cher is a château located in the commune of Selles-sur-Cher, in the Loir-et-Cher department in the Centre-Val de Loire region, France. The château is privately owned and is a designated historical monument of France.
Structures have been on the site as far back as the late 10th century, when Theobald I, Count of Blois, built a dungeon into the mound. Around 1140, Ginon de Mehun built a fortified castle on the site. In 1212, Robert de Courtenay of the Capetian House of Courtenay built a new castle with three corner towers and a gatehouse.
In the second half of the 16th century, the north and south pavilions and a south gatehouse were built, most likely for the de Trémouille family, lords of Selles. The pavilions, main entrance and interior of the 13th-century gatehouse were redesigned in 1612 for Philippe de Béthune, count of Selles, by architect Jacques Androuet II du Cerceau.
In 1719, Anne-Marie-Louise de Béthune, sister of the queen of Poland, sold the castle to Cardin Lebret, count of Selles. In 1810, Armand-Louis-Jean de Jehannot, Marquis de Bartillat, owned the castle and began significant renovations. However, in 1813 the Bande noire destroyed the west gallery. Starting in 1880, the castle underwent significant restoration work under the du Moulinet d'Hardemare family. Architect Pierre Chauvallon led a major restoration of the château in 1913.
The castle had been abandoned by 2002. It was purchased by Michel Guyot and his wife, Noémi Brunet. Guyot has done restoration work on previous castles, including Château de Saint-Fargeau, and is behind the Guédelon Castle project. In 2012, it was opened to the public. Later that year, they sold it to Nicolas Mazzesi and his wife Katherine Wu, who plan to open a winery on the site. The château hosts festivals and other events, and is the first tourist site in France to offer a virtual reality tour.