Château de Villesavin was built for Jean le Breton, François I’s financial secretary. In 1525, he was taken prisoner during the Battle of Pavia, and found himself locked in the same fortress as François I. When the two men returned to France, François I appointed Jean le Breton governor of the Chambord works.
He then had to restart the project, which had been interrupted for 27 months due to the Italian wars, supervise it and pay the workers. François I also offered him the lands of Villesavin to build the château. Jean le Breton then called on a number of French and Italian workers and craftsmen from Chambord to build it (1527-1537). Château de Villesavin was nicknamed “La Cabane de chantier de Chambord” (Chambord’s construction site hut).
After Jean le Breton, the château was home to many great noble families, including Jean Phélippeaux, advisor to King Henri IV. Counts and marquesses also lived here, making a number of modifications during the 19th century. Today, the third generation of the de Sparre family has taken up the torch.