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La Bussière Castle

The Bussiere Castle is located 18 kilometres from the L'Echappée Belle Bed and Breakfast in the commune of the same name. It is nicknamed the fishermen's castle because of the passion for freshwater fishing of one of its owners.

Very elegant, it seems to stand on the water of a vast pond. Its 60-hectare park allows you to enjoy the surrounding nature and its 18th century vegetable garden is classified as a "remarkable garden". It is a private castle but has been open to visitors since 1962. To visit it is to contribute to the preservation of this beautiful estate but it is also a journey through time.

The square ashlar tower and the fortified enclosure remain from the feudal period. The brick buildings date from the 17th and 18th centuries. The pond was dug into a rectangle in the 17th century and the vegetable garden was designed in the 18th century. We thus go from a defensive castle (it was on the edge of the Paris-Lyon axis which was very strategic at the time because it led to Italy) to a property whose aestheticism was improved under the du Tillet family. In its splendour time, it was 35,000 hectares of land! Enough to fill the three floors of the beautiful barn, which is located in the main courtyard near the stables.

In the basement, you will see the large 17th century vaulted kitchen.

The castle also houses a collection of objects relating to freshwater fishing, hence its nickname of the fishermen's castle. This collection comes from the passion of one of its owners and you can see from the photo that this is also reflected in the decoration of the ceilings!

In the basement there is a rare specimen of a coelacanth, a fish that has existed since prehistoric times.

La Bussière Castle and its collection about freshwater fishing

But what makes this castle special is its 18th century vegetable garden.

Larger than that of Villandry, you will find old vegetables, rutabagas, cabbages, chard... but also fruit trees such as pear and apple trees, small red fruits, vines... carefully chosen and cultivated. Small slates indicate their variety. Of course, a vegetable garden means flowers, and there are many of them, as well as roses. Because here you are on the Rose Route! André Eve, a famous rose grower, even created a rose bush to which he gave the name "Château de la Bussière".

Finally, the large park and the pond invite you to take a walk in the shade of the hundred-year-old trees. And why not have a picnic in this sumptuous setting?

Do you know...?

- The vegetable garden, on a typical 18th century plan, has an area of one and a half hectares, the equivalent of two football pitches (Villandry is 1.25 hectares).

- La Bussière" comes from the Latin Buxeria, which means bush or box tree.

- On 27 April 1533, François I stopped at La Bussière on his way to Gien. On September 1562, it was the turn of Charles IX and his mother Catherine de Medici to stop for lunch, this time on their way back from Gien.

If you are interested, you can take advantage of the guided tours. There is also the possibility to buy old vegetables from the garden or to pick berries. There are interactive trails in the large park, which are a pleasure to walk around. Château de la Bussière also offers an Escape Game in the castle's linen room.

Website La Bussière Castle