Château de la Bâtie d'Urfé
Le château de la Bâtie d'Urfé, Saint-Etienne-le-Molard
- Loire
- Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
In the sixteenth century, Claude d'Urfé, bailiff of Le Forez, transformed the fortified house of the Middle Ages into a real castle of pleasure in the Renaissance fashion. Close to Francis I, Claude d'Urfé carried out important diplomatic missions, representing the Council of Trent and then ambassador to Rome. He was then the governor of the royal children at court; he thus evolved in the humanist sphere of high dignitaries surrounded by artists and fascinated by Italy. La Bâtie strongly influenced Claude’s grandson, Honoré d'Urfé, who spent his childhood there and remembered it when he wrote L'Astrée, a model of the precious novel and a work whose impact was considerable in the 17th century. The Urfé family died during the French Revolution and the house changed hands several times until 1872, when it became the property of the banker Verdolin. Ruined, the latter sells in a scattered way a part of the decors (many, fortunately, have now joined the collections of museums). The building
Tags
Château, hôtel urbain, palais, manoir, Espace naturel, parc, jardin, Musée de France, Maison des illustres & Monument historique
® Château de la Bâtie d'Urfé
