Koen
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In the small village of Rigny-Ussé, on the left bank of the Indre River, stands the fairytale-like Château d'Ussé. The castle's very history begins in the early 11th century when Guelduin I built a wooden motte-and-bailey castle, and his son, Guelduin II, replaced it with a stone castle in 1040. In the 15th century, the castle came into the hands of Jean V de Bueil, a member of one of Touraine's most illustrious families, who commissioned the construction of the basic structure of the current castle. His son, Antoine, continued the castle's construction, but despite receiving an enormous dowry from his wife, Jeanne de Valois, daughter of Charles VII and Agnès Sorel, he was forced to sell it in 1485 due to debts. Jacques d'Espinay, chamberlain to King Charles VII, was the buyer and continued the construction of the castle. The Château d'Ussé changes owners from time to time over the years, but work continues. The gardens, for example, were designed by the famous landscape architect André Le Nôtre, and in the 17th century, the north wall was demolished to provide an unobstructed view of the Indre valley. In 1883, Count Bertrand Blacas d'Aulps inherited the castle, and his heirs remain the owners. The private estate is open to the public, which is fortunate, as the castle boasts a magnificent interior and furnishings. A visit is therefore highly recommended, and who knows, you might be inspired, just like Charles Perrault, to write a fairy tale like Sleeping Beauty!