Villesavin Credit Leonard De SerresVillesavin Credit Leonard De Serres

Villesavin castle Built by Chambord's master builders

Built for Jean le Breton, finance secretary to François I during the construction of Chambord.

The Chambord building site hut

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.

The wedding museum

The museum’s collection originates from Mont-Dol in Brittany. It took over 35 years to assemble this important collection of 1,500 objects, which began with the purchase of globes.

In this museum, you’ll discover wax figures recreating the most important moments of a wedding. From the preparation of the trousseau to the bridal bedroom, you’ll marvel at the period costumes, dating from 1850 to 1950. As the scenes unfold, you’ll discover the moral and social values of times gone by.

In those days, marriage was considered the most important event in life. Families prepared well in advance to make sure the day was perfect. Young girls were provided with a trousseau containing various valuables, along with sheets, towels and other linens, usually sewn and embroidered by hand. The preparation of the trousseau was meticulous.

The tour of the museum ends with the globes room, a kind of trophy, with wedding crowns inside, including over 350 models on display. These crowns symbolized the mother’s wishes for her daughter’s couple:

The oak leaf, symbolizing the couple’s longevity, the ivy, attachment and the dove, the couple’s peace.
The globes, a true heirloom of our ancestors, were then displayed in the newlyweds’ home.

Key figures

  • 1537 date of completion
  • 27 hectares of parkland
  • 3 walking trails
  • 3rd generation Sparre
  • 1500 objects to discover in the wedding museum
  • 25 Poitou stallions in the mini-farm
Our advice

A castle to visit with the whole family with the Villesavin mini-farm

Goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens and donkeys – and not just any donkeys, a Baudet du Poitou breeding farm.

Practical info 

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