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Sully sur Loire Castle

Seven centuries old, this castle is indissociable from the Duke of Sully, Maximilien de Béthune, a great minister of finance and very close to the King of France, Henri IV.

Situated 30 minutes from L'Echappée Belle, on the banks of the Loire, this castle is considered one of the most remarkable in the Loire Valley. Many people only contemplate it from the outside, but it is well worth a visit.

The Château de Sully sur Loire is a medieval jewel set on the water (the Loire and the Sange, a local river).

The presence of a castle in this strategic location is mentioned as early as the 12th century, but it was in 1395 that Raymond du Temple drew up the plans for the present castle.

This castle belonged to the Lords of Sully.

One of their descendants, Georges de la Trémoille, Chamberlain to Charles VII, received the wounded Joan of Arc in the castle on 8 September 1429.
The aim was to keep her under surveillance while Charles VII was discreetly trying to get closer to the Duke of Burgundy. It was the latter who later delivered the virgin to the English for ransom.

But it was Maximilien de Béthune who was to remain its most famous owner. He acquired the Château de Sully sur Loire in 1602 with the fortune of his wife Anne de Courtenay and the money he had accumulated as Director of Finances in the kingdom of Henri IV, who made him Duke of Sully. Close to the latter, he planned the King's Chamber in his castle (pictured). On his death, the castle was passed on to his heirs for three centuries.

The other famous man who stayed in the Château de Sully sur Loire was François Marie Arouet, the famous Voltaire. The philosopher of the Enlightenment was exiled to Sully on two occasions in 1716 and 1719 after he spoke of the incestuous love affairs of the regent Philippe d'Orléans with his daughter the Duchess of Berry.

Apart from the King's bedroom, one of the most remarkable rooms you can visit is the great hall at the top of the castle, which reveals its superb 15-metre high framework that was admired even by the architect Viollet-Le-Duc.

But the history of this castle was not all rosy.
It was looted during the revolution, partly destroyed by fire in 1918 and bombed during the Second World War.

Since 1962, it has belonged to the Loiret Department, which has undertaken renovations and work that has enabled the luxurious part to be restored to its original state, as it was before the fire.

These superbly furnished rooms (18th century furniture) give an idea of the importance of this residence at the time.

Do you know...?

- Raymond du Temple, the architect of the castle in 1395, was the architect of the King and the Duke of Orleans. He also contributed to the construction of the Vincennes dungeon, the finishing touches to Notre-Dame de Paris and the old Louvre castle.

- Do you know where the french expression "dessous de table" comes from (in french, "bribes" is called "under the table") ? You can find out by visiting the castle and observing the furniture in Sully's cabinet. A drawer under the table was used to pass on money, considered improper at the time.

- Henri IV never slept in the King's Room, which was dedicated to him. On the other hand, his grandson Louis XIV was hidden in the Château de Sully sur Loire during the Fronde.

If you are interested, you can take advantage of the guided tours. These tours last about one hour and a half and are very interesting. You will learn more about the personality of the Duke of Sully and the influence of Protestantism in the history of the castle.

Website of Sully sur Loire Castle