A Visit to Chateau Brissac Fall 2018

Gentle Friends, our next adventure was visiting the Chateau Brissac.  This lovely manse is another of the privately held chateau in the Loire Valley.  The property is still held in the Family Crosse-Brissac and the head of that family is the Duke de Brissac.  It was originally built a fortified castle by the Counts of Anjou in the 11th century.  In the 15th century, it was rebuilt, expanded and modernized by Pierre de Breze it was at this point that it was acquired by Rene de Crosse.

During the wars of religion, the Chateau/Fortress was severely damaged and in the possession of the Protestant leader Henry of Navarre.  It was around this time that Catholic Charles II de Crosse sided with Protestant Henry of Navarre.  Henry was soon baptized Catholic and crowned King of France who then rewarded Charles with the property, and the title of 1st Duke de Brissac and, most importantly, the money to rebuild the Chateau into the 7 story Baroque building we see today.

... what Charles II found was a half-ruined castle.  The rebuilding of the Chateau began in 1601 working around what was still standing.  While new sections were built others were torn down.  Each side of the new facade is partially hidden behind the thick walls of the towers.  In addition, the new construction would concentrate on extending the height which was rare for Chateau in the Loire at the time... it would also be lavishly decorated.  

Charles II had in mind to build a perfectly symmetrical facade with a higher, larger central section and in time to tear down the two medieval towers.  The five-story central pavilion was to be the center facade.  He thought he had years ahead of him, but he died before the completion of the project in 1621.  His son and successor stopped the work in progress and the edifice remained as the workers left it on the death of the first duke... the new castle partially built, in an old castle partially destroyed, which is how it looks like today...

... it's an odd juxtaposition...

... and the ragged edge is a bit jarring...

... you can only visit the Chateau on a guided tour and we joined a tour in progress and missed this first room the "Salon Dore" or Golden Salon, I peeked in...but didn't get a good snap.... so I swiped this snap from the internet... It's a beautiful room with one of the magnificent ceilings that are all over the house... the room actually takes in name from the gold leaf on the ceiling beams and joists...

... across the hall from the Golden Salon is this kitchen and it's pretty big, this picture really does not really show it.... moving along ....off this hall is...

... the dining room with all these antlers and hunting paintings... 

the Loire Valley was known for hunting...

... the dining room has another example of a ceiling "a la Francaise" with the beams and joists are all beautifully painted with a floral pattern.  This glass display case is full of 18th-century Sevres porcelain and a soup tureen and serving plate with the Brissac coat of arms.  The clock above is an example of Boulle work...

... the front hall with another portrait of a Duke de Brissac...

... the landing going up to the Reception Hall/Grand Gallery...

... at the far end of the hall were two chairs covered in this great chicken embroidered fabric...I am loving these chickens!!

... the Great Hall is 32 meters long and has served for festivities and banquets for centuries.  This type of long gallery became fashionable in many castles during the 16th and 17th centuries and is very similar to the one at Chenonceau and its gallery across the Cher river... these galleries are often decorated with murals or with tapestries like here.  These tapestries are Flemish 16th century and are scenes from the life of Alexander the Great...

... the tapestries on the opposite side of the Hall are Aubusson and depict pastoral scenes.  The portrait is of the 4th Duchess de Brissac, Gabrielle Louise de Saint-Simon.  She is depicted in an allegory of painting.  Notice the various paintwork materials (an easel, sketching book, watercolors, palette, and paintbrush) meant to symbolize her passion for fine arts.  The Hall has another beautiful ceiling painted in 1625, it is decorated with 100's of small pictures, pastoral, biblical and mythological scenes...

... more antlers...  at the far end of the Hall is a "secret door"...

... that leads into the Louis XIII Bedroom where Louis XIII and his mother Marie de Medicis were reconciled in 1620.  It was the resting of power from the Regency of Marie that mother and son were fighting over and although this peace was short lived it happened here and let Louis finally rule France alone... Marie was eventually banished...

... this portrait hangs in the bedroom and is of Louis XII's wife Anne d'Autriche, she and Louis were the parents of Louis XIV...

... the room is on the small side but has another beautiful ceiling... the tapestries are from original paintings by Lebrun to that are at Versailleslles and also depict scenes from the life of Alexander...

... moving out of the bedroom and back from the Hall, you go into the Portrait Gallery which has lots of portraits of the Brissac family which number 13 Dukes and 4 filed Marshalls...

... this is a portrait of the first Duke de Brissac, Charles II de crosse...

... from R to L, is the 11th Duke in WWI uniform and the large portrait on the left is of his first wife Mathilde d'Uzes who died of tuberculosis in 1908 at the age of 33...

... at the far end of the Gallery is a large portrait of world famous Veuve Clicquot.  This strong-willed and talented lady became a widow early in her marriage.  Well known for her business acumen and determination, she decided to take over the family business and turn it into an international enterprise.  She made a name and a fortune!  At her feet is her great-granddaughter Anne de Mortemart who became Duchess of Uzes and the mother of Mathilde...

...the Chateau depicted in the painting is Chateau de Boursault and built between 1843-1850 by Madame Clicquot and sold out of the family in 1919...

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Next on the tour was the Chambre des Chasses... Hunting bedroom... it was given that name due to the series of 16th century Hunting Tapestries that adorn the walls...they were acquired by the Duchess de Brissac in 1854, were hung up in this room and have never left...

... the bed is hung with some great lace...

... I couldn't find any information, but it was beautiful...

... in the billiard room is this painting of a Duchess de Brisaac with the Chateau in the background... also in the Billard room is a collection of lovely porcelain...

... with floral decoration and the Brissac Coat of Arms, this dessert service is really beautiful...

... and just off the Billiard room is the Opera House or Theatre built and inaugurated in 1890...

.... the Theatre continued in use up until the outbreak of WWI when the family closed it at the outbreak of war in 1914.  It was not until 67 years later that a complete restoration was done and it was reopened....the theatre seats 170.

That ended the tour of the house then it was on to the cellars and a look...

... at the wine cellars were you can taste the wine they make here...

... from the yard looking at the Chateau...

... directly outside of the front gate is a small park and the WWI Memorial...

... then it was back to Montreuil-Bellay and lunch...

... of more delicoius Gallettes and Cidre!!  

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There you go sports fans, thanks again for stopping by  do stop again!!

Take care,

edgar