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Château du Rivau today

France · Restored

Château du Rivau

Château du Rivau is a fortified manor-house in Lémeré, Touraine, France, notable for its 13th-century keep, round towers and Renaissance-era alterations. It has historically housed royal stables and extensive formal gardens and has been restored since the late 20th century.

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Photograph via Wikimedia Commons

First raised

1445

Its prime

1520

Today

Restored

As it stood in 1520

What Château du Rivau looked like in its prime.

A compact, square white‑tufa keep forms the centre, rising with a machicolated cornice and a steep, dark slate roof; it is flanked by cylindrical round towers capped with pointed conical slate roofs. The masonry is pale, with narrow vertical arrow slits and rectangular windows puncturing the façades. Low curtain walls and outbuildings cluster around a central courtyard; the immediate setting opens onto cultivated formal gardens and flower beds, with mature trees behind the castle.

Its story

The story of Château du Rivau.

The Château du Rivau is bound to the Beauvau family, who served the Kings of France from the 13th century and were related to the Counts of Anjou, holding the privilege of paying homage to their suzerain with a sword at their side, standing, and wearing their hats. The alliance reached the royal family itself when Isabeau de Beauvau married Jean II de Bourbon in 1454, and Le Rivau remained in the family's possession for 247 years.

In 1429, towards the end of the Hundred Years' War, Joan of Arc and her followers came to Le Rivau to fetch horses. The estate was renowned for the quality of its equipage and the war horses raised there. In 1510 François de Beauvau, captain of King Francis I, built the stables that supplied royal stallions and later housed the stallions of Henry III. In the 17th century Le Rivau was protected by Richelieu, whose sister Françoise was married to Jean de Beauvau, lord of Rivau.

When the Beauvau became princes of Lorraine they left Touraine, and in 1768 the marquis Michel-Ange de Castellane, lord of Villandry, acquired Le Rivau, staying with his family until 1796. Rabelais had already given the castle a life in fiction, awarding it to captain Tolmere in Gargantua as a reward for his victories in the Picrocholean Wars. Classified a monument historique since 1918, the castle and winery have been under renovation since 1992.

Step inside

8 places to explore in 1520.

The record describes 8 distinct spots at Château du Rivau, including 2 interiors: dining hall with painted mantelpiece, interior of the royal stables. Create your own photoreal reconstruction and explore every one, more scenes means more rooms, more angles, and more of the place to stand in.

Approach from the formal gardensMain façade and entrance to the keepTop of the square keep and battlementsBase of a round towerDining hall with painted mantelpieceOutbuildings and royal stables courtyardInterior of the royal stablesGardens with sculptural displays

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Recreate Château du Rivau with AI to explore it.

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Whose castle

Clans who held Château du Rivau.

The families that held Château du Rivau for a decade or more across its history, follow a name to its clan.

  • Beauvau

    Held Le Rivau for 247 years; François de Beauvau built the royal stables in 1510.

  • Castellane

    Acquired by the marquis Michel-Ange de Castellane in 1768; the family stayed until 1796.

Nearby

Landmarks within reach of Château du Rivau.

Royal abbey of Fontevraud, FranceMonasteryRoyal abbey of Fontevraud22 km away

Questions about Château du Rivau

What is the history of Château du Rivau?

Château du Rivau began as a fortified manor-house with foundations dating from the 13th century, then became a castle-fort in the 15th century. The Beauvau family rebuilt it after the Hundred Years’ War, and Renaissance alterations followed. Joan of Arc came there for war horses in 1429, while restoration began after 1992.

What is inside Château du Rivau?

Inside Château du Rivau are the grand hall, the Seigneur de Beauvau’s study, the dining or feast hall, the ladies’ salon and the Jeanne d’Arc room. The dining hall contains a Flemish master’s painting of the Feast of Belshazzar on the fireplace overmantel. The royal stables contain space for about thirty horses and storage above.

Why was Château du Rivau built, and what was it used for?

Château du Rivau was built to serve as a fortified lordly residence and to watch important communication routes. Its strategic position dominated the valleys of the Vienne and Veude. It later combined defensive features with the comforts of a Renaissance residence, while its stables supplied horses to the French royal household.

Where is Château du Rivau?

Château du Rivau is in Lémeré, in the Touraine region of France. It stands in the French department of Indre-et-Loire and is one of the Loire Valley castles. The surrounding area includes the valleys of the Vienne and Veude.

When was Château du Rivau built?

Château du Rivau was first raised in 1445, although its earliest foundations date from the 13th century. The surviving castle belongs to the 15th-century rebuilding after the Hundred Years’ War, and Renaissance work altered it further. The site record describes it as a construction of the years around 1450.

Which family or clan held Château du Rivau?

The Beauvau family held Château du Rivau for 247 years. François de Beauvau built its royal stables in 1510, and the family was linked to the Kings of France from the 13th century. The Castellane family acquired Le Rivau in 1768 and remained there until 1796.

What did Château du Rivau look like in its prime?

Château du Rivau has a compact, square white-tufa keep with a machicolated cornice and steep dark slate roof. Cylindrical round towers with pointed conical slate roofs flank it, while narrow arrow slits and rectangular windows puncture the pale masonry. Low curtain walls and outbuildings surround a central courtyard beside formal gardens.

Is Château du Rivau still standing or is it a ruin?

Château du Rivau is still standing and has been restored. Restoration of the castle, its outbuildings and gardens began in 1992 after the property threatened to fall into ruin. The work included replacing more than 5,000 square metres of roofing, renewing 148 windows and repairing the castle’s timber framework.

Can you visit Château du Rivau?

Château du Rivau is open to the public. The site opened to the public in 2000, after restoration work began in 1992 on the castle, its outbuildings and gardens. Its documented visitor spaces include the interiors, royal stables, courtyard and gardens.

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