Image 8812395Image 8812395

Montpoupon castle A castle on a human scale

Just 10 minutes from the Château de Chenonceau, enter the intimacy of a richly furnished, inhabited château on a self-guided tour with sound system.

The kitchen, just restored, will surprise you with its 150 copper pieces. The Musée du Veneur features 25 rooms dedicated to art, hunting and horses, the passions of the owners. Finally, the forest walk, with its new educational markers at the edge of the woods, lets you discover the flora and fauna of our forests. Children are given a booklet at the entrance to share their knowledge with the whole family.

The rocky promontory on which Château de Montpoupon is built in Touraine in the Loire Valley was chosen by a Germanic clan, the Poppos, in the time of Charlemagne. The etymology of the name is directly linked to this clan: Mons Poppo (the hill of the Poppo clan), became MONTPOUPON as the language evolved.

The end of the Middle Ages saw the arrival of a family who left their mark on Montpoupon: the Lords of Prie and Buzançais. It was Antoine de Prie and his wife, Madeleine d’Amboise, who restored the château in 1460, which had been left in a sorry state after the Hundred Years’ War.

The Marquis de Tristan – then Mayor of Orléans – acquired the property in 1763, in line with the ideas of the time, which tended towards a return to nature. The Marquis decided to restore the château, carrying out extensive work to bring it back to some of its former splendor. His efforts were interrupted by the French Revolution, and despite the winds of terror blowing, only the chapel was destroyed.

In the 19th century (1840), the château underwent major transformations. Its new owner, Monsieur de Farville, built the outbuildings as they stand today.

Finally, in 1857, Jean Baptiste de la Motte Saint Pierre acquired the estate. At the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th, the family carried out work to restore Montpoupon to its current Renaissance appearance.

The Comte de Louvencourt – their nephew and current owner – has added the magnificent “Musée du Veneur” in the outbuildings, a family heirloom.

The Verneur Museum

Take a free tour of the 30 rooms dedicated to the skills of craftsmen devoted to hunting with hounds:

  • Castle stables (horse-drawn carriage exhibition)
  • The saddleries: large collection of authentic saddles: French and English saddles, weapon saddles, amazon saddles, “piquer” saddles, dressage saddles…
  • La Maison Deyrolle: A renowned taxidermist in Paris, this company, founded in 1831, gives new life to the insects and wild animals of our French forests through naturalization.
  • La salle Hermès: Since its creation, Hermès has maintained a close relationship with the equestrian world, accompanying the traditions of venerie through the generations.
Feeling peckish? Our advice

At the foot of the Château de Montpoupon, in the authentic setting of the charming Moulin Bailly, the Auberge de Montpoupon offers generous, gourmet home cooking, proud of its terroir.
In fine weather, enjoy a pleasant terrace facing the château.

Practical info 

Close