The elegant residential block of the château, in brick and stone, was built during the reign of Louis XI, while the two wings date from the 17C. The interior houses sumptuous tapestries, paintings and antique furniture. Please mind that photographing inside this part of the castle is (unfortunately!) not allowed nor are any pictures of the amazing furnishings, paintings and tapestries for sale in the souvenir shop belonging to the castle. However, art lovers and visitors-to-be may be interested in the overview below...

The attractive gardens are well laid-out, the harmony of their design reflecting a certain quest for the good life. From the delightful inner courtyard there is a fine panorama of the Loire Valley. The tour of the château ends in the XVth century canonesses' chapel.


1) THE LOUIS XIII'S ROOM: The first Duke of Luynes, Charles d'Albort, was the favorite of Louis XIII, king of France in the early XVIIIth century, he became a Duke when he purchased the château in 1619, and the 'Connétable' (the commander of the French army) in 1620. After his death (1621), he was replaced as first counsellor by the famous Cardinal de Richelieu.
This room shows:
- on the back wall, a large painting: this is a descendent of the first duke - the Duke of Chaulnes - his father, Charles Honoré, the 3rd Duke of Luynes married Jeanne Marie Colbert, the Chancellor of exchequer's daughter. This work of art was painted by Hyacinthe Rigaud, the King Louis XlV's great portraitist.
About the life-style in a princely residence:
- a Dutch baroque marriage wardrobe with exceptional markings with wood and bone.
- a Flemish tapestry from Audenart city (early XVIIth century) which represents a scene of verdure (landscape).
- a chest In 2nd Renaissance style (Henri II), the most popular furniture during the XVth and XVIth centuries. It was a portable trunk (for clothes, silver plate) when travelling.
- two cannons which were offered by Louis XV king of France to the 5th Duke, colonel of the Dragoons in the French Army.
- Many trophies remind us that the Luynes family has been keen on hunting for generations.

2) THE KING'S ROOM: A certain number of French kings stayed on the estate full of game and wild animals (Charles VII, Louis XI, Francis I, Louis XIII). In the Renaissance, when Cathérine de Médicis led her sons Francis II and Charles IX to Candes-Saint-Martin, a place of pilgrimage, she often chose Luynes as a resting point (located between Amboise and Chinon).
More recently, the Queenmother of England and Prince Charles came to the Château of Luynes.
One can notice the stylish furniture: Louis XIII (Baroque period) - armchairs - dresser - with curved feet and material covering the seat (the reasons: carpenters invented a new machine-tool the lathe and looked for more comfort (such as the two armchairs with "crémaillères" and "tirettes", used to decline the seatback and put a tray (designed for sick people)).
Before the XVIIIth century, the daily life took place in the the most comfortable room, the bedroom. That's why you can notice diverse furnishings: a table-desk, a prayer desk, the bed and the cabinetdresser preserving food and wines (the light meals were often had in the bedroom).

3) THE DRAWING ROOM: This room was redeveloped wih a lower ceilling in the early XVIIIth century. It's located out of the reception rooms and it gives a real feeling that the château is still inhabited. Many of the pieces of furniture and pictures date back to XVIIIth century. On the back wall: a child, Marie Charles, 5th Duke of Luynes and his uncle Paul d'Albort, Cardinal of Sens, who was very progressive, fighting especially for social laws.
On the left hand side: "La Fête do la Fédération" (Champ de Mars - Paris - 14th July 1790) which illustrates an event during the French Revolution - picture drawn by a famous French illustrator during the Révolution, Moreau.

4) THE DINING ROOM: Even now the Luynes family eat their meals in this room (built in 1699). It shows classical furnishings such as: The chandelier and the "sconces" (made of crystal-Bohemia) - the consola (on the left-hand-side) a game hunting table, made of marble and painted wood (trompe-l'oeil) - on the table: an earthenware soup bowl made in Moustiers XVIIth. The Flemish tapestries were made in Brussels in the early XVIIIth by Urbain and Daniel Leyniers. They used to be in the city hall of Brussels, they were then rolled up and stored in an attic for one century (away from daylight), which explains their excellent condition. The scanes refer to Greek mythology: At the back "Venus and Adonys lovers" - on the left "Thetis a beautiful nymph visiting the sea god Nérée".
The 1st Renaissance fireplace shows the coat of arms of the Luynes: The lions are the symbol of the Alberti family (the Luynes family's Italian ancestors- XVth) and the she-wolves are the emblerm of the Favorite's grandmother (from Luynes city in southern France).
The two busts represent: on the left-hand-side: Charles Honoré, 3rd Duke, Colbert's son-in-law, the councellor of Louis XIVth. He educated the king's grand-son, Louis the Duke of Bourgogne who died before becoming king.
On the right-hand-side: Louis-Joseph, 6th Duke who took an active part in the French Revolution. By removing the aristocratic emblems seen in the courtyard (coat of arms of The Luynes) and because of his political position, he protected his château from the revolutionaries. He and his wife were sent to jail for nine months but not to the guillotine...

5) THE LOUNGE: This room (built in 1699) is wide and full of light (windows on all four sides).
One can notice luxurious and impressive furnishings:
- a 2nd Renaissance fireplace made of different marbles (carrare) carved by Germain Pilon, one of the most famous sculptors of the 16th century along with Jean Goujon (Fontainebleau Art school). It shows mythological figures (satyrs, nymphs, sphynxes) and the bust of King Henri II (at right: picture from a postcard).
- a very large French carpet made in the "Savonneries" workshops (Paris city)
- an Italian cabinet made in Venice in the XVIIth. It is made of pear wood and the painted decorations are used to imitate ebony. Cabinets were in fashion in Europa in the XVIth and XVIIth centuries and were mainly used by women because of its secret drawers (for jewels, poisons, letters ... ).
- armchairs in the style of Louis XIII (baroque) and the style of Louis XIV (classic).
- Other tapestries made in Brussels by Urbain and Daniel Leyniers : "Hercule and Omphale, the Queen of Lydie" - the Jupiter's metamorphosis: the eagle, the swan and the bull (Jupiter) seduce young humans Ganymede, Leda, Europa.
Besides this tapestry:
- on the left: the first Duke, Favorite of Louis XIII, Charles d'Albort of Luynes, "Paire et Connétable de France", in 1620. He wears a blue string 'cordon bleu' the symbol of a chivalry order 'ordre du Saint Esprit' founded by the king Henri III in 1578. These new knights had to protect the king from insurrections.
- on the right, his wife, the intriguing Marie of Rohan-Montbazon, who plotted against Louis XIII, the King of France, the Famous Richelieu and Mazarine ministers. When her husband died in 1621, she remarried four months later with Claude de Lorraine (part of the Guise family and cousins of the English Royal family), the Duke of Chevreuse. Marie of Rohan then played an important diplomatic role between France and England by trying to join the queen of France and the famous Duke of Buckingham (the story of the three Musketeers). Since this 2nd marriage, the Dukes of Luynes are also Duke of Chevreuse. It implies that they own another château Dampierre, in the surroundings of Versailles.
- in the corner: Elizabeth of France, Queen of Spain. She was Louis XIII's sister. Her mother Marie de Médicis married her with Philippe IV, the futuer King of Spain. This very realistic oil portrait-painting was made by Jan of Pourbus, a Flemish artist from Bruges city (XVIlth century).

6) THE LIBRARY: It is located in the southwest tower (one of the four towers which were built in 1105). One can feel the cosy atmosphere of this room with among others colums made of wood.
- On the desk: the 'Livre des Heures', an enluminure work of art of the XVth century republished in the early XIXth: the queen Anne de Bretagne's prayer book. In picture (on the right) : Anne de Bretagne - behind her : three saints who represent the Queen's passions - Ste Anne (the independant Britany), Ste Ursule (the sciences), and Ste Marguerite 'the Christian religion).

7) THE GUARD'S ROOM: Now, we're coming back on the groundfloor, the oldest part of the castle (like the foundations). This room was designed for the soldiers, the guards in the medieval past. Nowadays, the family uses this room to organise banquets after a hunt.
It is finely furnished with:
- a Flemish chandelier (XVIlth)
- an impressive Veniclan mirror carved in wood and covered of gold-leaves (XVIIIth-Roccoco style),
On the back - paintings:
- on the right: a large painting signed MONTPEZAT represents a hunting rendez-vous in Marchenoir forest. The great-grand-father of the actual Duke of Luynes is dressed in red. He was killed at the battle of Loigny in 1870 when he only was 25 years old.
- On the other side: the attractive Marie of Rohan on the left (when she was seventeen years old and Duchess of Luynes) and "Monsieur le Comte" on the right ( Louis XIII's cousin), Count of Soissons. They both plotted against Richelieu, as many nobles did at that time, disliking his despotism and his never-ending 'Thirty Years War' against tho Habsbourg dynasty ( Spain).
In Renaissance style:
- The Italian table with extensions (leaves). The food was shown before eating and a taste officer verified if food and wines were not poisoned. It's the reason why it was called 'credenza' (the 'confidence' in Italian language).
- The king's chair usually set up in a bedroom and used as a seat, a chest and a table (the seatback could be pulled down) when travelling.
In the 2d Empire style (XIXth): the 'indiscret', the 3-seat-sofa replaced the 2-seat-sofa called the 'confident' (Louis XVth style). In the indiscret, 2 persons keep on talking but another one henceflorth listens! The only indiscretion in Loire Valley... | close window |