I am on my road warrior mode again, and again in the beautiful Centre Val de Loire region with many visits. These are all firsts amazing abundance of marvelous places to see in my belle France. I again was headed for a new property that knew was closed but was in the area so an introduction would do for now, we will be back ,eventually. I saw the château de Gizeux and it looks grand ,nice worth a detour and a retour! This castle again in the Indre et Loire dept 37 of the Centre Val de Loire region . Hope you enjoy the posts as I.
The town of Gizeux is located in the department of Indre-et-Loire 37, in the Centre-Val de Loire region. The town is 15 km from Bourgueil, 35 km from Saumur, and just over 40 km from Tours. It is about 296 km from my house, An integral part of the old province of Anjou and its history, Gizeux and the region of Bourgueil including the Château de Gizeux were attached in 1790 (French revolution) to the newly created department of Indre-et-Loire. In 1817, Gizeux annexed the town of Saint-Philibert-de-la-Pelouse.
The château de Gizeux dates from the Middle Ages and remodeled over the centuries, notably during the Renaissance and the 18C. Its facades are 250 meters long, making it the longest castle in Touraine Angevin. The castle of Gizeux depended on the seigniory of Montsoreau, and passed under the administration of the seneschalsy of Saumur in the former province of Anjou in 1544 after the signing of the edict of Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The lordship of Gizeux belonged to the house of Doué.
The family of the poet Joachim du Bellay therefore owned Gizeux from 1315 to 1660, in its eldest branch of the lords of Bellay, barons of Thouarcé, princes of Yvetot from 1589. In 1789, during the French revolution, the marquis Louis Gabriel de Contades, opponent of the revolutionaries, had to flee the soil of France and found refuge in 1794 in Santo Domingo. It will not return to Gizeux until 1801. Remained the property of the Contades-Gizeux family after the revolution, the Château de Gizeux was passed on by marriage in the 20C to the Laffon family.
The buildings retain parts built in different periods. Thus the medieval style rubs shoulders with that of Renaissance architecture. The castle has two large galleries of paintings which make it original: the François I gallery decorated by Italian painters at the beginning of the 17C and the large gallery of castles decorated by a school of painting at the end of the 17C; it includes panels representing royal castles and rural scenes over more than 400 m2, The park was created in 1829.
Near the castle stands the Church of Notre Dame which contains the splendid tombs of the Du Bellay family. Their son, Martin du Bellay, had the village church built in 1608. The church is home to two unique monuments: orants, marble sculptures depicting members of the du Bellay family kneeling in prayer; these are the graves of these two couples, who died in the 17C.
The official Château de Gizeux : https://en.chateaudegizeux.com/accueil.htm
The Touraine Loire Valley tourist office on Gizeux castle :https://www.touraineloirevalley.co.uk/cultural-heritage/chateau-of-gizeux-gizeux/
The town of Gizeux on its heritage : http://www.mairie-gizeux.fr/Patrimoine-38.php
There you go folks, this was another beauty of a castle again in the valley of the kings of France, now call Centre Val de Loire. There is so much to see here and so much architecture and history in the valley of the kings of France! I try to give you a taste of the region and the Château de Gizeux fits the bill as grand. Hope you enjoy it as I.
And remember, happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 
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