listed castle for sale Buzançais, France

Réf. 4661 : Monumental castellan ensemble in Berry, near a renowned sanctuary In the historic province of Berry, within the Indre département, we present an impressive castellated ensemble located at the meeting point of two distinct natural regions: the Champagne Berrichonne and the Boischaut Nord. The former is a gently undulating landscape of open plains dedicated to cereal cultivation, stretching between the Indre and Cher départements. The latter, with more pronounced relief, is characterised by woodlands and hedgerows, interspersed with streams feeding into the nearby River Indre. Paris lies 280 km to the north, and Tours less than 100 km away. Châteauroux, the local administrative centre, is under 30 km from the estate and offers all the amenities and services of a mid-sized town, including a station on the Paris–Toulouse rail line and access to the A20 motorway. For day-to-day needs, the small town of Buzançais is less than a ten-minute drive. The region also enjoys considerable appeal from a tourism perspective. The Val de l’Indre Golf Course is just 11 km away, while the Brenne Regional Nature Park—also known as the Land of a Thousand Lakes—is only slightly further afield. The European Route d’Artagnan, dedicated to equestrian tourism, passes directly by the château, which is fully equipped to accommodate both horses and riders. Most notably, the property lies just minutes from the Marian sanctuary of Pellevoisin. Following a recent decision by the Vatican and a full renovation of its facilities due for completion by 2026, the sanctuary is expected to attract a significant increase in pilgrim visitors in the coming years. The history of the château is closely linked to the Brillac, or Brilhac, family, who are believed to have acquired it through marriage around 1300. At the end of the 15th century, Charles de Brillac, Master of the Household to King Louis XII, rebuilt the old medieval fortress. The new château he had constructed is characteristic of a transitional period. It retains the appearance of a medieval castle with ostentatious military architecture (keep, machicolated towers), while its layout already reflects that of a pleasure residence. Later, from 1636 onwards, another lord of the estate, Jean Phelyppeaux, seigneur of Buzançais and Palluau, added significant outbuildings forming a U-shape around a lower courtyard. Finally, after 1830, the De Lamotte family transformed the château’s south wing into a modern three-storey residence, with floors dedicated respectively to service, reception, and family life. This is how the castle complex appears to us today. The property comprises a group of buildings where the château proper can be distinguished from the outbuildings. The château includes a listed section with a keep and two round towers with conical roofs and a machicolated walkway. The keep rises over five floors and is flanked at the corners by three watchtowers and a stair tower. The first floor is a vast hall with ribbed vaulting. The upper floors each feature a large room of around 80 m² with monumental fireplaces. The central tower, known as the Brillac tower, has four floors, the top three each containing a room of approximately 40 m², with monumental fireplaces. The last tower has two levels of bedrooms, one of which includes an antechamber and a bathroom. These three towers are connected by two galleries on two levels. On the ground floor, peristyles with flamboyant Gothic-style decoration. On the upper level, one open arcaded gallery and one enclosed gallery with monumental fireplaces. The 19th-century residence is a long, classically styled building with two main floors, flanked by towers. The ground floor includes the service areas: a large stone-paved kitchen, a vestibule with staircase and mezzanine, and various small rooms. The first floor, divided by a fine cross hallway, is a reception area with a large wood-panelled drawing room, a small salon, and a study. The top floor is an intimate living space with a library, four bedrooms, dressing rooms and antechambers, and two bathrooms. Each floor of the residence has approximately 220 sqm of living space. Outbuildings: The outbuildings offer nearly 3,000 sqm of available space, mainly grouped within a long 17th-century structure arranged in a U-shape around the lower courtyard. Built over two levels, including an attic floor, the building is roofed with traditional flat clay tiles. The attic is lit by gabled or mill-style dormer windows with triangular pediments. The various sections comprise: -A corner pavilion, roofed in slate and converted into a caretaker’s house of approximately 150 sqm of habitable space. -The so-called 'Eastern Outbuildings', featuring the entrance porch to the village and large rooms fitted out as a local history museum. -At the corner, a bread oven and a three-storey round tower with a conical roof and adjoining spiral stair turret. -The 'Northern Outbuildings', an extensive wing including: A communal kitchen for around 60 people; Five bedrooms accommodating between 1 and 11 guests, each with an individual shower room; A refectory or banquet hall; A secondary dining area known as the 'Arcade Room'; Two small kitchens; Communal WCs and showers. -A corner pavilion containing a two-room apartment awaiting conversion. The 'Western Outbuildings', housing: A central heating plant; A workshop; A tack room; Stables and storage areas. Separated from the western outbuildings by a second arched gateway leading into the estate is a 19th-century barn with large timber doors, roofed in slate and currently used for storing agricultural vehicles. Additional features on the estate include: -A mill housing a 19th-century micro hydroelectric power station. -A charming lakeside pavilion, in need of restoration. -A large timber storage barn. The estate extends over a total area of 35.7 hectares and is entirely enclosed by a perimeter wall measuring approximately 2.5 kilometres in length—an exceptional feature. The grounds are criss-crossed by paths that divide the property into several distinct zones: Ten hectares of arable land, currently under direct cultivation. A large horse paddock of just over 2 hectares, located to the rear of the western outbuildings. An enclosed field of 3.5 hectares. -A pond of slightly more than 3 hectares, complete with its own pavilion. -A reference orchard featuring several varieties of quince trees. -An avenue lined with eight apple trees. -Meadows and pastureland. The rental situation : The château currently hosts small groups for training sessions. However, the accommodation and reception capacities of the outbuildings make it entirely feasible to welcome larger groups—whether on foot, on horseback, or by coach—and even to host prestigious events in a truly majestic setting. The following parts are classified as Historic Monument : as per the 1930 decree, the three eastern towers with machicolations, along with the two wings that connect them. This property is a historic monument (allowing fiscal tax cuts if you pay taxes in France). Cabinet LE NAIL – Berry - Limousin - Mr Christian MAUVE : +33(0)2.43.98.20.20 Christian MAUVE, Individual company, registered in the Special Register of Commercial Agents, under the number 437 693 534. We invite you to visit our website Cabinet Le Nail to browse our latest listings or learn more about this property.