Château de Grillemont at La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin.

The château at La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin has medieval origins, although much of what stands today dates from later rebuilding. In 1464, Bertrand de Lescoët acquired Grillemont and transformed it into a substantial fortress. In the 18th century, François Balthazar Dangé d'Orsay remodelled it as a more comfortable residence, removing the medieval keep and opening up the buildings with much larger windows.

There is a particularly good story attached to those alterations. Local tradition says that Dangé d'Orsay ordered as many windows and doors as there are days in the year to be created in the château. The actual number is thought to have been 97 but the story has survived.

Grillemont also had an extraordinary wartime history. During the Second World War it was successively used by the evacuated French Ministry of Commerce, occupied by German forces and later used as a prison. 846 people were held there between 1941 and 1943.

In 1850, the castle was bought by Gérasime Lecointre, the great-great-grandfather of the current owner. The castle was empty, as the previous owner had gone bankrupt and sold all the furniture.The family then had to work at returning it to a habitable residence.

Official website.

Happy Monday in the Loire Valley!

“Each château tells a story — of kings, of artists and of the dream of France itself.”

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Part of the “Châteaux of the Loire” Series

Every Monday, we explore one of the Loire Valley's legendary châteaux — from royal residences to riverside retreats — each revealing a different chapter of the region's story.

Discover more about the Loire Valley

Browse the full series

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Mon Banc Dominical / My Sunday bench — Chateau de Grillemont

Benches at Château de Grillemont, La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin. Today, the courtyard is a peaceful place to sit and enjoy the château and its grounds.

But Grillemont has a surprisingly eventful history, including a remarkable chapter during the Second World War.

More tomorrow...on Monday's chateau!

“On Sundays, Touraine speaks softly — and you have time to listen.”

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Part of the “My Sunday Bench” Series

Each Sunday, we share a quiet bench somewhere in the Loire — a small reminder that peace is often found where you simply stop to notice it.

Explore more moments from the Loire

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On the Streets of Touraine - in La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin.

Rue de l'Abbé Favoreau runs through the center of La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin , a village whose history goes back much further than its quiet appearance might suggest. The settlement is first recorded in the 10th century, and by the 12th century it was surrounded by defensive walls, although no trace of them survives today.

The village also has a strong connection with Saint Martin of Tours, reflected in its present name. In fact, the name La Chapelle-Blanche-Saint-Martin is relatively recent: the commune adopted it in 1918, partly to distinguish it from La Chapelle-sur-Loire.

One of the most intriguing stories associated with the village concerns Abbé Alphonse Marcault , parish priest from 1885 to 1921. He became convinced that several of the miracles attributed to Saint Martin had actually taken place here rather than at La Chapelle-sur-Loire. His investigations even led to the discovery in 1902 of a 15th-century Pietà , which had been hidden behind a wall since the Wars of Religion. The sculpture, attributed to the Tourangeau sculptor Michel Colombe, is now a listed historic monument.

More on the church here.

“The streets here don’t hurry. They simply invite you to walk, to notice, to belong.”

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Part of the “On the Streets of the Loire” Series

Each Saturday, we stroll through the lanes and cobbles of Loire towns and villages — places where every step feels like a story.

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