Chateau Guillaume

Last May we had the opportunity to visit Chateau Guillaume during a special day called Journee du Patrimoine. The Journees du Patrimoine are held twice a year, in May and in September. It lasts two days during which castles, museums, churches and gardens are open to the public free of charge. The program aims to be an incentive to visit and discover the area. Last May there were 73 sites open to the public in the region, plus 13 concerts offered free of charge in historical buildings.

It is always difficult to decide what places to see during these two days. There are too many places of interest in the region and we always want to see as much as possible while taking advantage of visiting those sites open to the public only during these special days. So, last May we decided to visit Chateau Guillaume, Chateau de Mazieres, and the Commanderie de l’ordre de Malte. From these three sites, the most impressive was Chateau Guillaume.

Chateau Guillaume is nested in a little picturesque village with the same name.  Around 320 km South of Paris.  It belongs to the town of Lignac in the Indre Department. 

To access the site you must drive as there is no public transport available.

The village of Chateau Guillaume is worth a visit in itself as it is like going back in time.  From its stone houses with exterior stairs to its picturesque little church, Chateau Guillaume is charming and unforgettable. 

The nearest train station is in Argenton Sur Creuse, about 35km away from Chateau Guillaume.

The history behind Chateau Guillaume is long, fascinating and tortuous. The fortress and castle was built between 1087 and 1112 by William IX, duke of Aquitaine. The major interest of the Chateau Guillaume lies in its dungeon, enlarged in the 13^th century by the duke’s son William X.

Unfortunately during the times of Richelieu, the castle was dismantled though it was later restored in 1878 by the Countess of Beauchamp, the great grandmother of the actual owner.

Nowadays, Chateau Guillaume is an historical monument comprising 4 towers, the castle walls, a central square dungeon and 2,5 hectares of gardens.

Like us you could visit free of charge during one of the journees de patrimoine.  Otherwise, the chateau is open for a small fee from June to September from 2pm to 6pm. 

For more information and group visits you can call 0033 254 25 62 81

A good time to visit would be during the local festivities the last Sunday of July.  During the Saint Christophe festivities you can enjoy a little brocante (antique outdoor market), a small parade and a fair.

Another good time to visit is during the “Fête de château Guillaume” the first Sunday of October. 

Near Christmas time there is a Christmas market where you can find local produce.  

Chateau Guillaume is a dream for architecture and history lovers. But it is also a good place for a family day out. We visited with our children who loved the enchanted gardens. They ran and looked for fairies and dwarfs, although all they found was a frog. But who knows, maybe it wasn’t really a frog, but an enchanted Prince!