Meslay castle

The castle of  Meslay was built for Jean François de la Porte (50-year-old farmer-general and close to the Cardinal of Fleury) during a giant  construction project from 1732 to 1735: demolition of the old castle (where Henri IV stayed during the siege of Vendôme in 1589), removal of the village, and creation of a cotton factory sold in Paris and Versailles.

Enter  on the intimity  of a prestigious family: a guided tour will show you the magnificent reception rooms with exceptional furniture and paintings exclusively of family origin, a rare gnomon (solar calendar) encrusted on a unique parquet floor in Europe, and the hologram of the old castle.

You will also see an exceptional set of vaulted basement kitchens with over a thousand objects from the family collection.

Movies, videos, sound files will punctuate your visit.

A free tour of the outbuildings will allow you to see a complete dovecote, a press with a magnificent apple “piloir” of the seventeenth century, a family collection of horse-drawn cars signed by the greatest coachbuilders of the time, a saddlery with harnesses, saddles, saddle carpets …

A walk on the terrace will make you enjoy the magnificent site, with an exceptional view of the corridor.

Restoration of the château is now necessary in order to continue to welcome visitors in the best possible conditions.
The entire roof of the château has deteriorated, weakening the structure of the estate.
Restoration work is essential, in particular to preserve the library, which is located in the eaves of the roof. The first stage of the work is scheduled for early this year, so that the château can be opened to the public during the summer season.
If you would like to contribute to the restoration of this roof, you can make a donation to the Fondation du Patrimoine.