The Castle
The Château de La Cour au Berruyer, a former guardian of the forest of Chinon, dominates the village of Cheillé bourg, neighbouring Azay-Le-Rideau.
A former fortified castle surrounded by a moat in the 13th century, it took on its current appearance in the 16th and 17th centuries with its mullions and large lantern windows, overlooking the Indre valley on one side and the main courtyard on the other.
The main courtyard contains a beautiful arcaded gallery from the time of Henry II as well as the old keep with a remarkable stone spiral staircase.
The carriage gate and the châtelet window still bear the mark of the old drawbridges.
The castle with its 3 salons and 10 rooms can be privatized only one week a year during the summer season.
« The Château de la Cour au Berruyer is not a simple vestige, but, thanks to a few flashes of light, a fragment of eternity ».
The Château de la Cour au Berruyer owes its name to its first known owner, Philippe Berruyer, one of whose sons, Gérard, was described as “high and mighty lord of the Cour au Berruyer” in 1170.
Their descendants succeeded each other for nearly five centuries and Philippine de Berruyer, on marrying George the Simple, Lord of Plessis-Alais, made La Cour her residence, one of the four fiefdoms of the forest of Chinon.
The hillside, overlooking the Indre valley and dominating the village of Cheillé, grouped around its church from which a vigorous oak tree rises, constitutes a strategic position of the first order!
In the 12th or 13th century, there was a fortified castle here, of which some elements remain. The most important of these, at the north-east corner, is a square construction, the base of which is pierced by archways with several oval loopholes with a circular opening for firearms, fitted above them.
Listen our interview for the programme “Le Patrimoine ça se partage”: HERE
Coming from the village, after having climbed the hill, one follows the wall of the castle, equipped with numerous bays with stone crossings and separated from the road by a dry moat.
A little further back, a forecourt opens up through a round-headed gateway, lined with a pedestrian door. The châtelet then gives access to the courtyard of honour, a pavilion projecting from the surrounding wall, covered by a four-sided roof with a triangular pediment dormer on each side.
There were two drawbridges, one for the carriage gate, the two grooves of which frame a single-rail bay, the other with a single arrow for the wicket.
Side loopholes protected the moat. The porch, which opens into the courtyard of honour through a large semi-circular arch, has a rare ceiling with rafters set at an angle between curved tufa stones.
On the walls of the ancient fortress stands a 16th century dwelling, lit by mullioned windows.
To the north, the castle had a building that was built around a square, which has now disappeared. There is still an enormous square tower, a real dungeon with a very slender roof, housing a stone spiral staircase of remarkable size.
This ensemble was redesigned in the mid-16th century. The attic is illuminated by the characteristic dormer windows of the period, with lintels decorated with circles and triglyphs, tympanum occupied by a man’s or woman’s head, all topped by a triangular pediment, framed by pilasters, now damaged and sometimes even destroyed.
To the south, a narrow wing forms a gallery with five semicircular arches, dating from the Henry II period.
The Manor
This pretty 15th century manor house, classified as a Historic Monument, is located in the forecourt of the castle. It is decorated with a Mediterranean garden of lavender and white roses, olive and fig trees, overlooking the farmyard and an old 18th century barn.
The manor house was classified as a historical monument by decree on 13 July 1942. It has recently been restored.
This peaceful and historic place can be rented by the week as a lodge.
The art of living
La Cour au Berruyer offers visitors 30 hectares of gardens, vineyards, woods and meadows to wander through.
The estate also has a swimming pool, tennis court and horse park. Take the opportunity to visit the Chenin AOC Touraine Azay-le-Rideau vineyard (organic).
Come and meet our animals!
Our dog, an Australian shepherd, welcomes you happily.
In the park, the horses (Milord; Unbelievable) and the two donkeys (Zadig; Manga) brighten up the life of the castle.
« At the castle, we know how to receive »
Garden side
Several gardens surrounding the castle have been created or restored in recent years. The French garden, created in the 17th century, was once entirely walled.
The Alexander Garden is a place of meditation with a long pool and a fountain. This secret garden, enclosed by a bower, is dedicated to a 10 year old boy who disappeared in the 2004 tsunami.
A vegetable garden, like those of the Middle Ages, is made up of squares of vegetables and medicinal plants. The Olive Garden is overflowing with white roses and lavender.
Not forgetting the “jardin d’Houx”, “Doux”
« (…) Several gardens surround the castle »
The Vineyard
The owners of the château, in association with friends who are passionate about wine, have saved a vineyard situated on the slopes of the Indre, of which certain parcels of Chenin extend in front of the castle.
The vines are cultivated with respect for the earth, in accordance with the principles of organic and biodynamic agriculture: working the soil to obtain living terroirs; cultivating the vines with the aim of helping them to develop their self-defence capacities.
The Domaine du Haut Baigneux produces very elegant and racy white wines as well as fruity and light red wines, which bear the typicity of their terroir.
Loire wine is a present, which takes all its time, past and future, on the slopes of Azay-le-Rideau.
A full-bodied wine with a bright, pale gold colour and aromas of white fruits and flowers.
The Rouges de Grolleau noir, grown exclusively in the Loire Valley, the cabernet franc (Sanguine) or the combination of gamay and cabernet (Les Pentes) give light, tasty reds with spicy aromas and simple, lively sensory pleasures.
Made from direct pressing of Cabernet Franc and Grolleau grapes, the rosé is a dry wine with a clear colour, deep, aromatic and fine.
With no added sugar or sulphites, the “Spontané” is a sparkling wine made from Chenin blanc grapes, with a hint of white flowers and minerality. The sparkling rosé is fruity and fresh thanks to the Grolleau and Gamay grapes.
Advice from Pierre and Geneviève
BY BIKE
Hire bicycles in Bréhémont and cycle to Rigny Ussé to the Sleeping Beauty castle
GO FOR A WALK
Walk in the forest around the castle on the banks of the 3 rivers (Indre, Cher and Vienne) or the Loire, or in the vineyards of Grolleau, Chenin or Cabernet
WELCOME TO THE CASTLE
Welcome to the Manoir du Château de La Cour au Berruyer, a 16th century listed building
ON THE BANKS OF THE LOIRE
Enjoy an aperitif at sunset in Bréhémont on the quays of the Loire
« Walking along the banks of the Loire, Indre, Cher or Vienne rivers… »
TREAT YOURSELF IN CHINON
Enjoy a wine tart from Ayrole in Chinon and visit the fortress
MEET THE ANIMALS
Petting the 2 donkeys Zadig and Manga, the horse Milord and Hola the Australian shepherd dog
LUNCH ON THE GRASS
Visit the château de l’Islette, and enjoy a picnic in the beautiful park
BY CANOE
Canoeing down the Vienne between Chinon and Saumur, the Indre between Azay-Le-Rideau and Montsoreau, or the Loire between Bréhémont and Saumur
« It’s a whole story that we discover along the way… »
STROLL
Don’t forget to visit Honoré de Balzac’s castle. Spend the day at Fontevraud Abbey where the Plantagenet kings Richard the Lionheart, Henry II, Eleanor of Aquitaine, and Isabella of Angouleme are buried
IN saché
Moving from Balzac’s house to Calder’s workshop in Saché
IN THE VALLEYS
Enjoy a local dish in Crissay at the foot of the fortress, facing the Manse valley.
« Discover a beautiful region … »
THE MARKET
Buy local products at the Azay-Le-Rideau market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, at Langeais on Sunday mornings, at Chinon on Thursdays and Sundays and the Halles de Tours every day.
TASTINGS
Taste the Chenin Bio “Les Hauts Baigneux”, AOC Touraine Azay-le-Rideau, from the vines surrounding the Château.
MEDITATE
Walk in the castle gardens, and meditate in the Alexander garden.
VISIT THE REGION
Continue further along the Loire and visit the Collegiate Church of Saint Martin de Candes (12th century), the Castle of Montsoreau, the Castle of Saumur and the Abbey of Fontevraud. Then the wonderful church of Notre-Dame de Cunault and the Abbey of Saint Maure. Stop for lunch on the terrace at La Route du Sel.
Les Bonnes Tables
DE GENEVIÈVE & PIERRE
Auberge Pom’Poire
Le Lavoir (Château)
La Crédence (Jardin)
Côté Cour
Le Grand Monarque (Jardin)
L’Aigle d’Or
Fernand, face à l’église Saint Symphorien
Auberge du XIIème Siècle
Château de Marçay (en terrasse)
Château d’Artigny
L’Océanic
L’Ardoise
Le Chapeau Rouge
Hôtel La Brèche
Restaurant Le 36
L’Embarcadère
EmmaGine Le Bout du Monde
(Organic, vegetarian between the Cher and the Loire)
Charles Barrier
Bistrot de la Tranchée
Le Verjus
Auberge de Crissay
Au Coin des Halles
La Maison Tourangelle
La Route du Sel
Fontevraud Le Restaurant
La Croix Blanche
Chateau du Coudray-Montpensier
Le Plaisir Gourmand
Contact us
To book the Manor or simply to visit the gardens, please contact us via this form.
ADDRESS
Château de la Cour au Berruyer
37190 Cheille
PHONE
Geneviève and Pierre DEPREZ
+33 6 80 67 20 13
+33 6 09 27 18 02
lacour@lacourauberruyer.fr
The visit of the castle, the Manor and the Gardens
The Château de La Cour au Berruyer, listed in the Inventaire Supplémentaire des Monuments Historiques, and the Manor House, Classified as a Historic Monument, are open to the public on weekdays from 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm in July and September.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, visits are currently by appointment.
Access to the parts of the estate that offer cultural and historical interest: the Manor House classified as a Historic Monument, the Avant Cour, the Châtelet, the Cour d’Honneur of the Château and the Gardens ;
Participation in the costs of the visit
5 € per person. Children up to 12 years old are free. 10 € for familles. 20 € for groups of up to 10 people and 30 € for more than 10 people. Open during the Heritage Days.