In the heart of the old town, overlooking the River Èvre, the Château de Beaupréau stands out as an impregnable fortress.
The origins of Beaupréau castle date back to the 11th century. At that time, the Duke of Anjou, Foulques Nerra, decided to build a chain of fortifications to protect his land from the Bretons.
Built in a strategic location, on a feudal mound, the castle benefited from a natural defence: the Evre river and the Pré Archer stream.
The château was in turn a "dwelling house", welcoming prestigious guests such as King Charles IX, accompanied by his mother Catherine de Médicis, a gunpowder factory and banknote printing works, and even a prison during the Vendée Wars until it was burnt down by the Republicans in 1793.
Rebuilt in the 19th century on its medieval foundations, the château was then adorned in Renaissance style with mullioned windows and dormer windows topped by gables flanked by gables. The last owner, the Duke of Blacas, sold the fortress in 1959 to nuns who converted it into a maternity hospital, which has been closed since 2000.
Today, the château is a privately-owned development overlooking the River Èvre and the Écuries Pantall racecourse.
To the left of the château entrance, enter the adjoining 32-hectare park or walk down the towers to the bottom of the moat near the wash-house.
Continue your journey back in time by strolling through the streets of Beaupréau's historic quarter. You can still see the Communs (outbuildings where the servants lived), the Collegiate Church (where the canons and altar boys lived), the Maison des Tourelles (now converted into charming guest rooms), the Place du Marché (where merchants of all kinds once swarmed), the Hôtel des Postes (post office) and the Sous-Préfecture (sub-prefecture).
