France · Restored
Château de Beauregard, Loire Valley
The Château de Beauregard is a Renaissance château in the Loire Valley near Blois, notable for its long portrait gallery. Built largely from the mid-16th century and extensively redecorated in the early 17th century, it remains inhabited and open to visitors. The estate sits on the edge of the Russy Forest within a landscaped park where older chapel ruins are visible.
Its prime
1640
Today
Restored
As it stood in 1640
What Château de Beauregard, Loire Valley looked like in its prime.
Long, horizontal Renaissance château of pale limestone with a low-lying park in front, a ground-floor arcade of seven round arches forming a covered porch gallery, and a first-floor gallery above. Symmetrical advanced wings rise two storeys with steep slate roofs pierced by ornate dormer windows topped with pediments and finials. Tall, slender decorative chimneys punctuate the roofline. The south side opens onto a formal garden at the foot of the windows; the rear overlooks the park and nearby forest. At its prime the façades are complete and the galleries richly finished.
Its story
The story of Château de Beauregard, Loire Valley.
The original manor at Beauregard was built in the late 15th century by the Doulcet family, Jean Doulcet was Master of the House of Coins to Charles, Duke of Orléans. His son Francis, Master of the House of Deniers to Louis XII, was dismissed for defrauding the Crown during the Italian campaigns, and Beauregard was confiscated and incorporated into the royal domain.
Most of the château was built around 1545, when it was bought by Jean du Thier, Lord of Menars and Secretary of State to Henri II. Its most famous feature came under Paul Ardier, Comptroller of Wars and Treasurer, who bought the estate in 1617: a first-floor gallery decorated in the 17th century with 327 portraits of famous people, above a seven-arched porch gallery.
Beauregard left the Ardier wealth in 1816, sold to the Viscount of Préval, and passed to the Comtesse de Sainte Aldegonde before Jules, Comte de Cholet, bought it in 1850 and entrusted its restoration to Jules Morandière. Classified a historic monument by Prosper Mérimée in 1864, it remained in the Cholet family for seventy-two years, and is still inhabited and open to visitors.
Step inside
8 places to explore in 1640.
The record describes 8 distinct spots at Château de Beauregard, Loire Valley, including 3 interiors: galerie des illustres (great portrait gallery), royal chamber fireplace and frescoes, study / cabinet of bells (woodwork by scibec carpi). Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.
Build Your Own Castle
Recreate Château de Beauregard, Loire Valley with AI to explore it.
The artist rebuilds it as it stood in 1640, a photoreal reconstruction that belongs to you alone. Pay with coins, no subscription needed.
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Clans who held Château de Beauregard, Loire Valley.
The families that held Château de Beauregard, Loire Valley for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.
Doulcet
Built the original manor in the late 15th century; confiscated to the royal domain after Francis Doulcet was dismissed for defrauding the Crown.
du Thier
Bought in 1545 by Jean du Thier, Lord of Menars, Secretary of State to Henri II, who built most of the château.
Ardier
Held by the Ardier family from Paul Ardier's purchase in 1617 until 1816.
Cholet
Held by the family of Jules, Comte de Cholet, for seventy-two years from 1850.
