Indeed several years back when moved to my current area of Morbihan 56 we went to a wine tasting event in Guérande in the neighboring area of Loire-Atlantique 44. We met some winegrowers who were very talkative! and friendly! with good wines! and decided to visit on their property. As the old movie said, this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship! I do not tell you every time but this time we were back after the pandemic and it was sublime as always. Therefore, this is my take on the curiosities of Thouaré sur Loire !! Hope you enjoy it as I.
We have been several time here and some of the visits and monuments are recorded in my blog. However, this time we went for a special wine tasting event at Vignobles Marchais (see post) but before we took a ride into the castles in the area. Thouaré-sur-Loire is located in the Loire-Atlantique department 44, in the Pays de la Loire region ; on the north bank of the Loire river, and 10 km from Nantes. I have written plenty on the town and its monuments so will get down to two properties just passed by in the past as my primary reason to be there is the wines, however…They have nearby two wonderful castles (I love castles!!) not open to the general public but I took a peek and translated their webpages a bit on them.
The Château de Thouaré in its current configuration dates from the 14C. It is located in a large green park, with hundred-year-old trees, it is built in two wings, with a Renaissance lantern tower, the facade is made up of elements from various eras including battlements dating from the Middle Ages. Outbuildings and stables are also adjacent. The moats date from the 10C. The windows are double mullioned and date from the second half of the 19C. The stone and tufa dovecote, dates from the 15C, its slate dome is topped with a sculpture representing a pigeon, it has 1189 niches, once a symbol of the power of the Lords of the place.
Anecdote: From January 24, 1564 to May 1, 1566, King Charles IX undertook a grand tour of France. During this trip, on October 11, 1565, the king made a stopover at the Château of Thouaré, hosted by Charles de Bretagne d’Avaugour and his wife Phillipe de Saint-Amadour for dinner. The king then goes to Nantes, to the Château des Ducs de Bretagne (see post), where he will stay for three days.
The official Château de Thouaré : http://www.chateaudethouare.com/
The Château de Beau-Soleil we see today is from the 20C. This is the residence of de La Blanche, Bailly-Peltier and Charbonneau de Courty. The building replaces an old 18C mansion. It was in 1895 that it all began for Château Beausoleil. Alfred Gerbaud and Anastasie Descourty complete its construction on the foundations of an old house dating from the 17C. They create a billiard room and a bedroom which today has become the Chinese living room, a bedroom and a bathroom. It was finally Jean Vichatzky (Serbian origins came here after WWI) who inherited Château Beausoleil with his wife Antoinette in the late 1960s. They had three daughters, Sophie, Agnès and Valérie, just before settling there permanently. It was in 2014 that the late Jean passed away, and it was then that the future of Château Beausoleil in Thouaré sur Loire arose. The 3 sisters attached to this house did not want to part with it. They then decided to undertake a vast renovation project in 2015. A project that Agnes and Valérie began in earnest in 2018 and will finish in 2021. The Château Beau-Soleil is surrounded by 4 hectares where horses gallop and thrive on a daily basis. After 3 years of renovation, Château Beau-Soleil has offered itself a new roof, upgrading all networks, painting work, a well-thought-out space design, not to mention re-furnishing and the construction of an outdoor swimming pool. In short, everything to welcome you in an idyllic setting! The numerous exterior outbuildings are reminiscent of the history of Beausoleil. Greenhouses, a press, a workshop, a water tower and a farm create a real atmosphere.
The official Château Beau-Soleil: https://chateaubeausoleil.fr/le-chateau/
The Brasserie La Fontaine at rue de Mauves and inside pl de la Fontaine is a workers’s canteen right smack in town across from the Church of St Vincent (see post). One of the virtues of my belle France is the culinary choices and just friendly town folks of ordinary daily life here, we love it!! We arrived without reservation of course, and immediately were seated in the little terrace out front nicely next to a flower shop and with views of the church. And we had our lunch. We had bavette d’aloyau or whats best translated as flank steak , fries, salad with breads and a 100 Cl bottle of local rose wine (that is more than a bottle 75Cl). We sat in glory under a sunny day with a nice patio umbrella and went at it. Very nicely done and friendly service as many were known to each other, real country town ambiance we love so much. We finish with dessert i had a creme caramel à beurre salé or sort of a salted caramel cream pudding, nicely done crunchy. A expresso coffee followed to finish the lunch. The bill well this is the countryside, came at about 12€ per person. We shall be back !!!
There you go folks, anothe wonderful ride in my belle France! A full day of fun with my boys and Dad who kept up well! This is deep country Loire and already a wonderful Thouaré sur Loire for us. Again, hope you enjoy this post on curiosities of Thouaré sur Loire !! as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 