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Sully sur Loire Castle

Seven centuries old, this castle is inextricably linked to 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 see it from the outside, but it is well worth a visit.

The Château de Sully sur Loire is a medieval jewel set on 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 not until 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 discreetly tried to get closer to the Duke of Burgundy. It was the Duke of Burgundy who would later deliver the Virgin to the English for ransom.

But it was Maximilien de Béthune who would remain her 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 financial director of the kingdom of Henri IV, who made him Duke of Sully. Close to the latter, he designed the King's Chamber in his château (see picture). After his death, the château passed to his heirs for three centuries.

The other famous person who stayed at 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 out about the incestuous love affair between the regent Philippe d'Orléans and his daughter, the Duchess of Berry.

As well as 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 magnificent 15 metre high framework, admired even by the architect Viollet-Le-Duc.

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

Since 1962, it has belonged to the Loiret département, which has carried out renovations and works to restore the luxury section to its original state before the fire.

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

Do you know...?

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

- Do you know the origin of the French expression "dessous de table" (which means "under the table")? You can find out by visiting the château and observing the furniture in Sully's cabinet. A drawer under the table was used to pass on money, which was 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

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