Beauregard gives visitors to the Loire an ideal introduction to the history of France and Europe, and a perfect start to a tour of the châteaux and a perfect start to a tour of the châteaux with a visit to the unique portrait gallery, which houses 327 paintings of the most important people over 315 years of history.
If you're lucky you'll see the portraits escape from the château, and guide you through the landscaped park and the Portrait Garden, created by Gilles Clément (designer of the André Citroën Park in Paris). Discover one of the largest rose gardens in the Loire valley and a vast botanical collection. Don't forget to see the hen with the golden eggs and the wolf- slaying sheep! Free treasure hunt games for kids. Bicycles for hire in the park.
The portrait gallery
The portrait gallery is the pride of the Château de Beauregard. The château as it stands today was built by Jean du Thier in 1545. Paul Ardier, minister of the king acquired it in 1617 and began the decoration of the gallery with portraits of his peers. The project grew, and the next three generations of his descendants all contributed.
AIn total, the gallery is home to 327 portraits, sweeping both national and international political history between 1328 and 1643. No less than 26 nationalities are represented. Beauregard has been owned by the Pavillon family since 1925, and its park has been recognised nationally as a "remarkable garden" since 2005.
