Created in 1791 by shipping owners from Nantes, the parc de la Gaudinière has been significantly extended and embellished from the 1860s onwards. The brick and freestone framework dates from this period, along with all the remarkable trees within the park, indigenous or exotic species which were planted in the XIXth and at the start of the XXth century.
The château
Constructed by the Brousset family between 1864 and 1873, this château is built on the site of a former town house. Made of brick and freestone, it is shown off to its best in the evening through the northern opening in the hardwood trees and the illumination of the area. The château was run as a physiotherapy centre for 25 years, flanked by modern buildings. It was restored by the City of Nantes at the start of the 1990s and has since regained its external charm.
The château’s outbuildings
The château's gatehouse is now located at the entrance to rue Diane, a few hundred metres away from its initial location. The property's garage, stables and outbuildings are now the SEVE's technical premises.
The golden age of the park at the start of the XXth century
A property of over 17 hectares at the start of the XXth century, the parc de la Gaudinière was renovated in 1918 by the Lizé brothers, landscape gardeners from Nantes. It was a working farm at the time and was also home to vines, orchards and a vegetable garden.
The Fontaine Wallace
Designed by the Nantes sculptor Charles Auguste Lebourg (1829 -1906), this fountain was commissioned by the English philanthropist Richard Wallace who started to give these public fountains to the citizens of Paris from 1872. The caryatids symbolise simplicity, goodness, sobriety and charity. At the time, the city of Nantes acquired 10 of them, of which 5 remain today. In addition to this one, they can be found at the Jardin des Plantes, the cours Cambronne and the Place de la Bourse.
https://jardins.nantes.fr

Château de la Gaudinière

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The Château des ducs de Bretagne (English: Castle of the Dukes of Brittany) is a large castle located in the city of Nantes in the Loire-Atlantique département of France; it served as the centre of the historical province of Brittany until its separation in 1941. It is located on the right bank of the Loire, which formerly fed its ditches. It was the residence of the Dukes of Brittany between the 13th and 16th centuries, subsequently becoming the Breton residence of the French Monarchy.
The castle has been listed as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture since 1862. Today the castle houses the Nantes History Museum.
Restoration
Starting in the 1990s, the town of Nantes undertook a massive programme of restoration and repairs to return the site to its former glory as an emblem of the history of Nantes and Brittany. Following 15 years of works and three years of closure to the public, it was reopened on 9 February 2007 and is now a popular tourist attraction.
The restored edifice now includes the new Nantes History Museum, installed in 32 of the castle rooms. The museum presents more than 850 objects of collection with the aid of multimedia devices. The castle and the museum try to offer a modern vision of the heritage by presenting the past, the present and the future of the city. Night-time illuminations at the castle further reinforce the revival of the site.
The 500-metre round walk on the fortified ramparts provides views not just of the castle buildings and courtyards but also of the town.
Seven sequences of the museum
The Castle, Nantes and Brittany back to the 17th century
Nantes, daughter of the river and the ocean
Commerce and the black gold in the 18th century
Nantes in Revolution
A colonial and industrial port (1815–1940)
A new city takes shape (1940–1990)
A great Atlantic city, today and tomorrow
The exhibition ends with a vision of the city, a multimedia creation by a contemporary artist, occupying the entire area of the 32nd room. Pierrick Sorin is the first guest artist.
The illuminated castle
The night-lighting brings out the architectural complexity of the site within an urban context. The illumination was designed by Sylvie Sieg and Pierre Nègre of the Atelier Lumière and won the Light Originator Price of the Lumiville Trophy 2007.

Château des ducs de Bretagne

La Poterie, élégante et seule Folie Nantaise sur les bords de l'Erdre, fut construite aux portes de Nantes à la fin du XVIIIème siècle à l’emplacement même d’une ancienne tuilerie romaine.
Le Château de style Louis XVI est attribué à l’architecte Ceineray.
Achevé en 1789 sur un domaine de plus de 100 hectares, le Château fut acquis par Louis Auguste Levesque en 1863, alors député-maire de Nantes.
La famille Levesque, famille de capitaines d’industries de Bretagne, également propriétaire de la Forêt de Paimpont (Brocéliande), est venue habiter la Poterie en 1863.
Rogatien Levesque, fils de Louis-Auguste, y installa alors son chenil et créa une nouvelle race de chiens portant son nom, « Le Levesque » robuste et infatigable. Cette race de grands chiens a toujours été hautement reconnue par tous les équipages de vénerie pour sa grande maîtrise du laisser courre dans la voie du chevreuil.
La Poterie fut alors à cette époque l’un des plus hauts lieux de la vénerie française.
Le chenil et la maison du piqueux sont toujours en l’état et bordent l’allée qui vous conduira aux Salons.
Depuis presque 30 années, écuries et dépendances ont été entièrement restaurées pour y développer une nouvelle activité d’accueil et de réceptions, tant privées que professionnelles.
Vous les découvrirez dans ce cadre naturel des bords de l’Erdre classés au titre de grand site national environnemental.
L’Erdre, « la plus belle rivière de France », disait François 1er, serpente tendrement sur 35 kms entre coteaux boisés et propriétés de charme.
http://www.chateaudelapoterie.com

Château de la Poterie

Château de Bois-Briand is a château located in Nantes, France. In 2008, the estate was listed as a "Monument National" by French Minister of Culture. This label was attributed thanks to three main considerations: the inspiring history of some landlords, the permanence of a consensual social life and the translation of this harmony into various gardens, buildings and botanical creations.
The original castle was named Bois-Briant, Bois-Brient and Bois-Brillant. These names referred to a wood enlightened by sun because it was (still is) facing South. The medieval castle became a "château" when it was sold by Charette family to Le Meneust des Treilles family, in 1699. The medieval defensive "castle" transformed itself into a "maison de plaisance" where pleasure was associated to economic productions (wine and dry fruits for sailors). Such "châteaux", designed for pleasure were named "Folies" in "Pays de Nantes". In other parts of France, the term "Folies" was used mainly to designate monumental ornements in 18th century parks: false ruins (pyramids, obelisks), grottos, love-temples, friendship-temples and "laiteries". The street that led to the castle was named Avenue de Bois-Briant. Since its acquisition by the city of Nantes, Avenue du Bois-Briant became « rue du Bois-Briand ».
19th century - Bois-Briand and USA
At the beginning of the 19th century, Bois-Briand becomes a shelter for a family of planters from West-Indies and Louisiana (Laure Gaigneron de Marolles was born in Elisabeth Town, New-Jersey, in 1801); Felix Cossin de Chourses, pirat (corsair) and slave trader buys Bois-Briand then transmit it to his daughter. His grandson marries an American-born princess Murat. His granddaughter gives birth to one of the inventors of automobile (Marquis de Dion).
1803 - Felix Cossin, a merchant, is elected on the Board of City of Nantes
Born in L’île Bouchard, Felix Cossin, a merchant, is elected on the Board of City of Nantes.
As a pirat, Felix Cossin was famous for the capture, in 1792, (by his captains) of the Dutch brig « Dolphin » with « Les deux-Frères ». The boat was under the commandment of « Mylord Courtequeue » (= "Mylord short tail », a nickname he won because of his hair/catogan). The same « Mylord » captured, in 1793, the British brig Caractacus, the British 3-masts « La Charlotte », the US brig « Junon », the huge British vessel « La Henriette that was staffed with 623 sailors. « Mylord Courtequeue » was adopted as his son by Felix Cossin de Chourses.
1815 - Felix Cossin de Chourses buys Chateau de Bois-Briand
In 1815, Felix Cossin de Chourses buys Chateau de Maubreuil, in Carquefou, from Marquis de Maubreuil for 171 000 livres. This is (maybe) the year when he buys, also, Chateau de Bois-Briand whose owners (Le Meneust des Treilles) left for the West-Indies when the French Revolution occurred.
1816 - Felix Cossin deceases. Julie Cossin inherits Chateau de Bois-Briand
In 1816, Felix Cossin deceases. He accumulated the most important fortune in Nantes region (including 10 « trade" vessels (pirat, slave trade with Cuba).
Some of his boats were very big: L’Oiseau, armed with big guns, was staffed with 100 « sailors », « La Confiance » was a 3 masts-vessel, « Les Deux-Frères was staffed with 120 « sailors » and equipped with 22 guns. Boats names were quite romantic: « L’Eugénie », « La nouvelle Eugénie », « La félicité », « Les Deux-Frères », « La Celestine », « La Musette » (18 guns!), « Le Chéri », « La Confiance », « L’Oiseau »…
In 1816, Julie Cossin inherits Chateau de Bois-Briand. She is 17 years old. Her niece Clementine Cossin will give birth to Marquis de Dion, in 1856.
1817 - Julie Cossin marries Alexandre, Charles, Gustave, Baron de Chassiron
On 27 December 1817, Julie Cossin marries Alexandre, Charles, Gustave, Baron de Chassiron.
1818 - Julie de Chassiron-Cossin gives birth to Charles Gustave Martin On 5 December 1818, Julie Cossin gives birth to Charles Gustave Martin, Baron de Chassiron.
1820
On 25 August Julie de Chassiron-Cossin deceases. She is 21.
1848
Charles Gustave de Chassiron is a diplomat in Tunis. He publishes « Aperçu pittoresque de la Régence de Tunis ».
1850 - Charles Gustave de Chassiron marries Princess Caroline Laetitia Murat
On 6 January 1850, Charles Gustave de Chassiron marries Princess Caroline Laetitia Murat, the daughter of Prince Lucien Joseph Murat, grand-daughter of Pauline Bonaparte and General Murat (« Roi de Naples ») and grand-niece of famous French emperor Napoleon.
Princess Caroline Laetitia Murat was born on 31 December 1833 in Bordentown (New-Jersey) to Prince Lucien Charles Joseph Murat and Caroline Georgine Fraser. Fraser ancestors were Nantes region landlords (from Anjou, more precisely) Their original name was « de la Frézelière". They joined the Normans to conquer England during Middle-Ages. « Frézelière » became « Frisel » then « Fraser ». During their honeymoon in Nantes, Charles-Gustave introduces his bride to his family. Then, he shows her Clisson, an artists paradise where Sculptor Lemot is building his famous Villa and its « Gardener’s house ». Caroline falls in love with romantic landscapes of Tiffauges and its castle. By that time, everyone had forgotten (and not yet recalled) the horrible crimes that had been accomplished there by the famous tale’s heroe « Bluebeard ».
1857 - Charles-Gustave de Chassiron is a diplomat in China, India and Japon
Charles-Gustave de Chassiron is a diplomat in China, India and Japon.
In 1861, he publishes « Notes sur le Japon, la Chine et l’Inde ». A museum was built in La Rochelle to display artistic treasures brought back by Charles Gustave de Chassiron from Extreme-Orient.
Place
Indeed, the original castel was built (on one side) on the mouth of the Aubinière river, where Aubinière meets with Loire river. Before the huge 16th century Loire river floods, ChateauBoisBriand was (also) located on the banks of the Loire river. Sea tides influence is noticeable on Loire river, there. The Vikings invaded Western Loire Region using Loire river. Since these floods, Loire river bed has been postpone 2 miles further thanks to dams (called "levées", locally). The Aubinière is the administrative frontier between Nantes and Sainte-Luce-sur-Loire. The château is located less than 500 meters from the church and the shops of near-by village Sainte-Luce-sur-Loire. Before 1908, ChateauBoisBriand estate was located in the city of Doulon, until it was annexed by the City of Nantes.

Château de Bois-Briand

Château de Chassay serves as Mayor of the town of Sainte-Luce-sur-Loire (Loire-Atlantique). A castle existed from 550 on the site of an ancient Roman villa called Cariacum, located on the route of the oldest Roman road in the region (already mentioned in the third century) and leading to Nantes Doulon lived through him Gallo-Roman times. A document dated 1096 mentions the castle as Nantes bishops had to Chasseil former name Chassay. In the middle of the fifteenth century of Amaury Arcigné bishop does enclose a moat but Francis II of Britain seizes it, turns it into a hunting lodge and it was not until 1500 that he went to the bishopric. Henri IV and his entourage will spend April 13, 1598. In 1683, in statements provided by the Bishop of Nantes, Gilles de Beauvau, for the reformation of its areas, mention is made of two buildings: the "Little Castle" and "Grand Mansion". "Little Castle Chassais", the current building. The "Grand Manor Chessail" consists of three contiguous body home he had many dependencies (gardens, greenhouse, farm, wine press, stables, stables ...) Abandoned at an unspecified date, it seems that it was located north of small castle, thus designating the small castle as a principal residence. The abandoned buildings and became farm buildings were razed during the period when the area was property of artifiel insemination center (twentieth century). Sold as national property January 27, 1791 in Nantes shipowner Dubois-Violette for 109,000 pounds. It is sold and abandoned until its purchase in 1827 by the Countess of Bondy. In 1956, belonging to the family of the Fremond Merveillère, it is sold to a union of agricultural cooperatives breeding and animal insemination. In 1974 it was bought by the municipality, who set the town hall. It also served until 2007 during the summer lights, giant screen on which were projected pyrotechnic tales of faerie society.
http://www.frenchchateau.net/chateaux-of-pays-de-la-loire/chateau-de-chassay.html

Château de Chassay

Le château de la Rairie est un château situé à Pont-Saint-Martin, en France.
Description
Dans un parc paysager de 9 ha, ce château de 1830 abrite une salle de réception de 300 m2. Le domaine reçoit du public (artistes, concerts, etc)
Localisation
Le château est situé sur la commune de Pont-Saint-Martin, dans le département de la Loire-Atlantique.
Historique
Le domaine de la Rairie est de 1445 à 1551 la propriété de la famille Gouy et au siècle suivant la famille Bidé. En 1657, Michel Forcheteau, seigneur de la Colletterie et des Dousseraies (les Douze Traits actuels à Saint-Aignan-de-Grandlieu) est secrétaire du roi et greffier à la chambre des comptes. Il occupe les lieux et achète de nombreuses terres mais ne peut faire face à ses emprunts.
Le domaine est vendu en 1671 à Mathurin Guyton, dont le frère avait épousé Marie Rouxe, fille du seigneur de la Marionnière. Après le décès de ce dernier, c'est Guillaume Hay qui devient le nouveau propriétaire mais qui meurt trois ans plus tard. Marie-Anne Drouet des Ilets lui succède jusqu'en 1786. Entretemps, elle épouse Augustin-Louis de Luynes et leur première fille est baptisée en la chapelle du château dont il reste quelques murs.
Puis, c'est Françoise-Marie Collet qui habite la demeure et fait construire en 1790 la métairie de la Moricière, toute proche. La révolution et les guerres de Vendée n'épargnent pas la Rairie qui change trois fois de maîtres avant d'être acquise par Charles-Augustin Bridon, capitaine de navire. Son fils Anselme devient adjoint au maire de 1813 à 1826 puis maire de 1830 à 1838.
C'est à cette époque qu'il fait construire, à l'emplacement de la partie centrale de l'ancien bâtiment, l'actuelle demeure de style néopalladien. Le château est vendu de nouveau en 1839 à Françoise Bigot, veuve d'Augustin Hochet de la Terrie et conseillée par Pierre Sochan de Kersabiec qu'elle épousera. Il est le fils de Jean-Marie Angelique de Kersabiec, de la Marionnière. Prudent Pommereuil devient propriétaire en 1855, puis c'est Donatien Hervouet vers 1900.
Actuellement, c'est la famille Luneau qui est propriétaire du château. À noter que François-Louis Hilarion du château de la Pigossière a été maire de la commune de 1848 à 1852 et qu'Anselme Bridon de la Rairie le fut de 1830 à 1838.
Le monument est inscrit au titre des monuments historiques en 1989.

Château de la Rairie

The Château de Goulaine is a former castle, now a château, in the Loire Valley located near Nantes, France. This castle has been home to the family of the marquis de Goulaine for over a thousand years. Château de Goulaine is also the estate-bottled wine produced at the château.
History
In the 12th century, when the Duchy of Brittany was independent, the first Goulaine, Jean de Goulaine, then captain of the city of Nantes, fortified the estate, which is still surrounded by marshes, to defend against attacks from Normans. The Goulaine were of the old nobility, recorded in the Seventh Crusade (1248). During the Wars of Religion, the Goulaine fought for the Catholic League: Gabriel, sieur de Goulaine, at the head of fifty lancers, and his brother Jean, baron du Faouët, took the châteaux of Trogoff (Plouescat) and of Kérouzéré (Sibiril) in 1590. Gabriel was attached to the Bourbon cause in being made a marquis by Henry IV of France. The Goulaine family ownership of the estate continued uninterrupted until 1788 when it was sold to a Dutch banker. This circumstance helped save the château from destruction during the French Revolution. In 1858, a member of the Goulaine family reacquired the estate and maintains it today.
Wines
While it is not clear exactly when the estate vineyard started producing wine for commercial use, rather than just family consumption, the millennium during which the estate of Château de Goulaine has been producing wine makes it the oldest known wine business still in existence; It is believed to be the third oldest commercial enterprise in the world. It is considered the oldest European family owned business. The castle estate is one of the last Châteaux de la Loire to still be producing wine.
In addition to producing a Muscadet, Château de Goulaine also produces a Sancerre and Vouvray as well as what is believed to be the first commercial Chardonnay in the western Loire Valley. The estate also grows some Folle blanche.
Architecture of the château
Today the style of the château, under its high pitched slate roofs bears some comparison to the central Loire estates of Château de Blois and Château de Chambord, though Château de Goulaine was built much earlier and in a more conservative style.
The butterflies aviary
Since 1984, hundreds of tropical butterflies are showcased in an aviary, flying freely among tropical plants. This project was initiated by Marquis Robert de Goulaine (1933-2010) himself.
LU's Museum
In the older stables, you can visit the LU Museum. You can see the art and advertising collection of the brand of biscuits. There are 500 works of art (paintings, sculptures). The brand is very important in Nantes because the production of "le Petit Beurre" biscuits was in the "quai Baco" in the factories of the family. Today, the brand history is told with their works of art.
Beurre blanc
According to one telling of the story, as favored by the American chef Bobby Flay, the white sauce beurre blanc was allegedly invented in the kitchen of Château de Goulaine by the head cook, Madame Clémence Lefeuvre.

Château de Goulaine

Château de Briacé is a castle located at Landreau (Loire-Atlantique), France. The current castle dates from the nineteenth century. The castle is located in the French department of Loire-Atlantique, in the southwest of the town of Landreau on the D55 in the direction of the Chapelle-Heulin, and near the marsh of Goulaine. Briacé Castle is a Renaissance building in ocher freestone and limestone, dating largely from the nineteenth century, although the north gable is older. It is surrounded by wide moat masonry of which only the western and southern parts. It is surrounded by a 7 ha park where several centuries old trees located. Manoir twelfth century, rebuilt in Renaissance style in the fifteenth century. Partially destroyed during the War of Vendee, it was rebuilt in the nineteenth century, including its moat, but the entire western part has not been completed beyond the cellars, where a blind gable with stone projections for liaison with future walls. The park, cellars and common (stables) also date back to the nineteenth century and the general organization corresponds to the principles of the castles of this century (English park with pond and stream traversing the park, vegetable garden surrounded by walls and greenhouses). The property was transferred to the St. Gabriel Brothers to the death of the owner Gilbert Blanchard of receivables in the 1950s to build an agricultural school (following demand from growers and market gardeners Nantes). Subsequently, half the moat north side and is, that of the stone bridge that allowed to connect the castle to a majestic driveway lined with remarkable trees was destroyed, the castle and cease to be on an island. The castle itself, including the interior, has been respected despite its initial use current and dorm rooms and the entrance gates to the pillars monumental and stylized.
http://www.frenchchateau.net/chateaux-of-pays-de-la-loire/chateau-de-briace.html

Château de Briacé

The Château de Clermont, built between 1643 and 1649, is located in the commune of Le Cellier, 27 kilometres (17 mi) from Nantes in France. It was owned by the Maupassant family before becoming the property of the actor Louis de Funès.
Appearance and architecture
The appearance of the château has remained broadly the same since its construction at the time of the regency of Anne of Austria during the minority of Louis XIV. Its southern aspect, which overlooks the River Loire offers a panoramic view over the Pays des Mauges and the Pays de Retz. The northern aspect has a shaded avenue perpendicular to the Paris-Nantes road framed by the original wings of the château. It is surrounded by 3 hectares (7.4 acres) of parkland and a vineyard of 17 hectares (42 acres). Louis de Funès had a rose garden planted, but nothing remains of it today.
Château de Clermont shows three major characteristics of the Louis XIII style:
pink bricks and masonry which softens the formal lines of the layout
distinctive and unique slate roofs of various of the main buildings
the central part of the building being used to house the main staircase and dominating the surrounding construction.
The large avenue crosses two moats and brings visitors in the central courtyard flanked by the wings.
Wings
The two wings contained the servants rooms: sleeping quarters, stables, and greenhouses, placed where they could be watched by the master of the house. Where the wings join the main body of the house are the kitchens on the right and on the left the chapel, the altar still displaying its original retable. From the centre of the wings arched passages arched lead out: on the right to the gardens and on the left to the farmyard. The two entrances provide both convenience and break the monotony of the formal lines. A gallery runs along the first floor of the right-hand wing.
The wings of Clermont are very different from those of other châteaux from the same period of the 17th century. Up until 1624, wings were designed to be of the same or very similar height to that of the main house, so the courtyard was enclosed on three sides, an echo of the former defensive role of castles. The Rocher-Portail, near Fougères, is a rare intact example of this kind of architecture. Clermont is one of the last châteaux to have wings attached to the central building in this fashion. They are, however, smaller, lower and have an Italian influence, natural enough at a time when many French architects were studying in Rome and Venice. Clermont was completed just before 1650, the year when, following the trend started by the builders of Vaux-le-Vicomte and François Mansart at the Château de Beaumesnil, the central bodies of the majority of new castles started to be built separated from the wings.
Mixture of styles
In a design that was, at the time, very modern, there are a number of features that are reminiscent of older architecture: corbelling is used on both the northern and southern sides, and on the Loire side machicolations are utilised to support the high roofs. Regardless of their architectural heritage, overall the features blend to a harmonious whole.
History
The château was inherited by the de Funès family from an aunt, the Countess of Maupassant. It was built by the Chenu de Clermont, a family of important military administrators. René Chenu, (1599–1672) was a long-time governor of the fortified towns of Oudon and Champtoceaux which dominated the Loire upstream. His son Hardy Chenu (1621–1683) was in charge of the fortifications, cities, castles and fortified towns of Brittany.
The Chenu were vassals of the House of Condé, who had many holdings in the west of France, and this feudal relationship, so strong under Ancien Régime, was increased by a strong personal friendship. Rene Chenu was the contemporary and loyal ally of Henry II de Bourbon, prince de Condé. The birth and death of Hardy Chenu coincide with those of Louis II de Bourbon-Condé, the Grand Condé, whom he served. It is traditionally held that one of the Chenu, either the father or the son, saved the life of their master, and that Clermont was constructed to express his recognition of the act. In any case, the construction of Clermont, with its imposing proportions, testifies to some princely expenditure. The Château de Clermont was built shortly after the Battle of Rocroi (19 May 1643), where the Grand Condé, saved the throne of the enfant Louis XIV and merited a considerable reward. It reflects enthusiasm of a period filled with glory. For 30 years the chateau was the property of French comedian Louis De Funes. In 2013 the mansion was converted to a museum dedicated to the life and times of Funes.

Château de Clermont 

On May 22nd 1392, Alain de Malestroit, Lord of Oudon, obtained from Jean IV, Duke of Brittany, the authorization to rebuild this Castle. He built first the main tower, the “keep”, and then its fortifications.
This Castle constructed on a rock, surveys the traffic on the river and overlooks Anjou on the South bank. It stands sentry, like the neighbouring Castle of Ancenis, on the borders of Brittany, ready to defend Nantes the dukedom capital, from the greedy kingdoms of France and England.
Behind a defensive architecture the tower is also the main home of the Lord. Thus, it integrates ostentatious and residential functions. A large spiral staircase serves each level composed of a spacious common- room and an adjoining private room. These rooms are well lit with huge mullioned and transomed windows, and comfortably equipped with window seats (coussièges), fireplaces and toilets (latrines). Wardrobes, watchrooms and backstairs were fitted into the thickness of the wall.
http://www.loire-en-scene.fr/en/home/17-version-en/chateau-medieval-oudon-en/60-oudon-castle-history.html