In the late 10th century, France faced with an economic crisis and an uneasy peace with the Vikings. Would the Vikings attack again? Or was their recent attempt at peace going to last?

French nobility built defensive systems, fearing more violence. The one at Châteaudun no longer exists, but what replaced it is even more magnificent.

Introduction

After the massive Viking invasion of 911, Frankish nobility prepared for the next one. They thought Viking leader Rollo would change now he ruled Normandy, but could they trust him?

This was the peace Charles the Simple had negotiated at the end of the Battle of Chartres.

So they started making preparations for another invasion.

Thibault I was the Count of Blois at the time. He wanted to build something strong enough to withstand an invasion. He built a fortress on a rocky headland¹ near the village of Châteaudun². The location was no random choice; the village was on the trade routes that even the Romans had used¹. Its location was useful for trade and for protecting trade.

Thibault is an ancestor of mine; my 27 x great-grandfather. Ironically, his daughter married Rollo’s grandson.

This fortification was a spartan affair, designed to defend against invasion. Comfort, and any sort of modern amenities, were not high on Thibault’s priority list. This fortification no longer exists. Some of the foundations are visible but not much more than a few rows of bricks.

Until the 12th century, it wasn’t normal to build fortifications out of stone. Partly this was because architecture was not advanced enough to allow for grand stone constructions, and partly this was because people would demolish existing structures to build new ones. Both these reasons explain why we don’t have many pre-12th century remains.

Ownership

Thibault’s descendants kept the place in the family over the next 300 years^{1 2}.

In 1391, Louis d’Orleans bought the counties of Blois and Dunois, which included this estate^{1 2}. In 1439 his son gave them to his half-brother Jean². The latter was a companion-in-arms of Joan of Arc, known as “The Bastard of Orleans”.

Jean’s family died out in the early 18th century². The fortress – a chateau now – passed to the Dukes of Luynes². They abandoned the place and it remained rundown till 1723. A fire devastated the nearby town so people occupied it and took shelter there^{1 2}.

During the French Revolution, people ransacked the place². The army used the main building as a barracks for some time as well^{1 2}. The Prussian invasion, which reached as far west as Châteaudun, attacked the castle, destroying part of the existing structure¹.

In 1938, the state decided to buy the property^{1 2}. It employed architect Jean Trouvelot to restore the place and the current condition owes a lot to his care and attention^{1 2}.

Artistic merit

There’s more to the place than the dry facts listed above, as the pictures in this article illustrate^{1 2}:

1. Between 1170 and 1190 Thibault V added an imposing keep which still survives today. It is an imposing cylindrical structure with 4 metre thick walls that is one of the first things you notice when you enter the courtyard. It is typical of 12th century military architecture, a defensive structure 31 metres high, and split into 3 floors. The structure has a 17 metre diameter and is one of the best surviving examples of its kind. One key point about its security is that its main door used to be 10 metres above ground level as an added layer of protection.
2. Between 1451 and 1493, Jean d’Orléans built a chapel to house a relic of the Passion of the Christ. The relic was a sliver of the cross of Christ and was a gift from King Charles VII. It was the Pope’s decision to place it in this chapel. Today, there is an open choir with ribbed vaulting. Not much remains from the original decor but there are statues of saints on display.

3. Three spiral staircases are focal points around the courtyard. They are Renaissance flourishes which draw the eye to the extent of the property.
4. The long wing next to the chapel was also one of Jean d’Orléans’ ideas. Jean demolished a fortified structure to make way for:
   • A wing split over 5 levels because the construction hugs the contours of the land.
   • A rare example of an ancien regime courtroom which later served as a Revolutionary Tribunal in 1793.
   • Bedrooms with unique panelling decorated with 16th century funereal motifs.
   • Ground floor kitchens with ribbed ceilings which descend to the two large fireplaces.
5. The gardens on the far side of the building are hanging gardens. These were the first of their kind in France.

6. The prisons contain graffiti from all the inmates.
7. The north building features prominent instances of a stylised letter ‘L’. This commemorates Louis XIV’s visit in 1682.
8. The Duchess’ first floor apartments contain wall hangings and 17th century Parisien tapestries.

References

1. CMN (2024). Le château de Châteaudun, premier des châteaux de la Loire – CMN. [online] Chateau-chateaudun.fr. Available at: https://www.chateau-chateaudun.fr/decouvrir/le-chateau-de-chateaudun-premier-des-chateaux-de-la-loire [Accessed 21 Aug. 2024][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩]
2. Château de Châteaudun. (2024). Centre des Monuments Nationaux[↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩][↩]

Remember: links were correct at time of publication.