Château de Chaux

En un regard

Le château en bref

The Château de Chaux, in Chevanceaux (Charente-Maritime), at the confluence of the Lary and the Font de la Fenêtre stream, belonged from the 10th century to the Counts of Angoulême, who donated it in 1030 under Count Geoffroi Taillefer. From the 14th century, the Sainte-Maure de Montausier family, lords of Jonzac, held it until the 18th century, before it was sold to the Loménie family and then to François de Jussac d'Ambleville. After 1768 the estate changed hands several times, before being acquired in 1885 by Count Adrien Treuille and then inherited by the Benoît du Rey family. Remodelled by the architect Jean Caillabet in 1636, the château adopted a vast square plan arranged around an inner courtyard, flanked by four round corner towers with flat-tile roofs; the north entrance retains traces of a drawbridge, an arcaded gallery runs along the south side, and the vaulted chapel occupies the west wing, with Louis XIII and Empire-style fireplaces. A cork oak forest was planted around 1600 or in the 18th century, and in the 19th century the Marquis de Lestrange developed a vineyard of more than 100 hectares with its farm buildings. During the Second World War, the furniture and the east tower were set on fire by German troops. The façades and roofs have been protected as historic monuments since 21 November 1969.