Gilles berthelot
Home / Historical Figures / Gilles berthelot
Its elegant turrets, perfectly proportioned windows, delicate stonework and steep slate roofs are very pleasing to the eye.
The famous, Italian-style loggia staircase overlooking the central courtyard is decorated with salamanders and ermines, symbols of King François I and Queen Claude.
Unlike other water castles which are surrounded by water filled moats, Château Azay le Rideau was actually built on a small island in the middle of the Indre River. So the water that you see around the castle is not actually a moat, but the river waters.
Table of Contents
A Brief History of the Château Azay le Rideau
Château Azay-le-Rideau was built during the reign of King François I by a rich financier, Gilles Berthelot, who wanted his fabulous new home to have all the technical innovations of his time and the allure of French Castle.
Château Azay le Rideau had a very turbulent history.
OPENING HOURS: October to March : 10 am to 5:00 pm April to June and in September : 9:30 am to 6 pm July and August : 9:30 am to 7 pm Last admission: 1h before closing The Château is closed on January 1, May 1 and December 25 ADMISSION RATES: Adult rate: €11.50 Children less than 18 get free admission (with family) Audioguides: €3.00 |
If enjoyed reading this post, please pin it for later:
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE:
Category: DESTINATIONS, Europe, FranceTag: Castles and Fortresses, Loire Valley
Azay-Le-Rideau
The castle of Azay-le-Rideau
"A carved diamond, set in the Indre River".
He built it on the site of a much older chateau which had been burned down – that had been called Azay-le-Ridel after a local noble family and became over time, Rideau.
The result was an absolute star of a castle when it was built, elegant, beautiful, innovative and quite luxurious. These are both very decent places where you can have burgers, pizzas, soups and salads, at very affordable prices.
Have a listen to our podcast – everything you want to know about France and more!
All rights reserved. Raffin attempted some minor renovations, but never completed the project either. Azay-le-Rideau was confiscated by King Francois when he felt the splendour of the chateau was evidence that his treasurer was pilfering funds from the royal coffers.
Surrounded by parkland and forests, the beautiful Chateau Azay-le-Rideau is reflected in the mirror-like water in which it stands.
The staircase is richly sculptured, the rooms are decorated with tapestries of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and the furnishings and paintings are plentiful and reflect that the castle was updated and lived in through the 16th to the 19th Century.
When you’ve finished your visit and want a break, the town of Azay-le-Rideau in on the doorstep of the castle and is well worth a stop.
Chateau Azay-le-Rideau
Standing proud on an island in the middle of the Indre River, the exquisite little Château of Azay-le-Rideau was built between 1518 and 1527, during the reign of François I and is one of the most popular of the Loire Valley Chateaux.
Chateau Azay le Rideau History
It was one of the first of many Renaissance Chateaux that were constructed in the early part of the 16th Century and its owner Gilles Berthelot, the Mayor of Tours and Treasurer for Francois I, wanted his fabulous new home to combine the latest technical innovations from Italy and the best of the art of French architecture.
This article may not be published, broadcast, rewritten (including translated) or redistributed without written permission.
Château d’Azay-le-Rideau – a Hidden Gem in the Loire Valley
Standing on an island in the middle of the Indre River, about 15 miles (24 km) southwest of Tours, lies one of the finest châteaux of the Loire Valley: the Château Azay-le-Rideau.
There is one which includes Azay Le Rideau, Langeais and Villandry castles.
The building process was slow and tedious. The ground was so damp, that the builders had to drive stilts into the mud in order to build the château.
A Never-Ending Construction
Unfortunately, Berthelot was never able to finis his dream castle.
The château offers a one-hour free guided tour in French. These coverings warmed bedrooms up in winter and cooled them down in summer and at that time bulrushes were a popular material to cover floors and walls (much like seagrass rugs today). Inside the architectural details are impressive and there is a good collection of paintings and furniture.
If you are coming by train from Tours, the train station is just 2.5km west of the château. He died a few years later whereas he was still in exile.
The youthful Dauphin Charles (next King Charles VII) coming from Chinon on horseback for Tours in 1417, was ridding along the walled castle when he was insulted by Burgundian guardsmen.
Out of the entire building plan, the only parts ever built were the south and the west wings. The restaurant is tucked up off a small country road along the orchards. The decor was created by the Marquis Charles de Biencourt (who bought the château after the Revolution). The interior is very much that of a castle in the French Renaissance style.
Hence the distinctive L-shape of the château.
Over the centuries, the castle changed hands many times and even came close to burning to the ground again.