P1150687

In 1374 a former mansion is turned into a fortified castle. King François I died in this castle in 1547. In 1706 the Bourbon family (specifically, Louis Alexandre de Bourbon, the bastard son of king Louis XIV and Madame de Montespan; known as the Count of Toulouse upon legitimation by his father) seizes the castle and revamps it. The large park is also modified in the 18th century, mainly by Louis XVI. The park consists of French gardens, canals and a large forest for hunting. The castle used to be a presidential residence until 2009.