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Attacking the châteaux of the Loudunais region
The châteaux of the Pays Loudunais are ambassadors for a PL’Souverain that is not to be missed. When we suggested that the children spend a day discovering this unique heritage, they jumped at the chance before we’d even finished the sentence. With Manon, Jade and Théo, we set off to explore this area, which has a knack for combining castles, dungeons and secret gardens… but this time, we took our time and linked the sites not one by one, but by atmosphere and by area, to avoid the marathon effect.
A medieval epic near Loudun
We started where history still stands proudly: Loudun. The Tour Carrée welcomed us like a grand lady who has seen centuries go by. As we entered its medieval garden, the children were already inventing scenarios of knights and herbalists. A few streets away, the Porte du Martray completes the medieval setting. This is the last surviving fortified gateway to the town, and we loved imagining what life was like in the days when it controlled comings and goings.
Just a short drive away, the scenery changes but remains majestic, with the Château de la Roche Martel towering above the plain. The view from here is so vast that we spent a long time making out the villages in the distance. Then, further back, we discovered the Domaine de la Guérinière, all pruned boxwood and shady paths: a truly serene interlude before continuing on to the other nuggets of the Loudunais region.
A memory that is still very much alive in the castles of the Loudunais region
Heading north-west, it’s impossible to miss the Donjon de Moncontour. A massive tower, set into the landscape like a historical exclamation point. Théo was determined to get to the very top to “keep an eye on the enemies” and, once up there, we had a moment of silence before the view over the countryside (we were speechless!). It was easy to imagine the Wars of Religion, and we didn’t even need a long speech.
Twenty minutes or so down the road, the atmosphere changes, but the Middle Ages are still the main theme: the Château de Monts sur Guesnes. Here, history is experienced as much as it is visited. The immersive rooms captivated the children, who were plunged into the world ofEleanor of Aquitaine. Jade had fun reconstructing a coat of arms, while Théo tried his hand at archery. As for Manon, she took advantage of the tour to savour the stories lining the rooms. We loved this way of learning without realising it.
Treat yourself to a trio of châteaux with very different personalities
As we continued our loop through the south of the Loudunais region, we moved from one atmosphere to another without ever leaving our heritage behind. Château de Ternay welcomed us as if we were arriving at someone’s home: warm, intimate and lively. The owner told the story of the Chevalier de Beauvau with passion, and the children took their puzzle hunt very seriously. A visit that exudes authenticity.
Further on, the Château de la Chapelle Belouin takes us gently through the centuries. Here, you can clearly see the transition from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. Jade even got out her notebook to sketch a sculpted window that caught her eye. It’s a place that makes you want to take the time to look at the details.
Finally, our tour ended at the Château de la Rouvraye, a site whose walls contain traces of several eras. Its Renaissance façade, its cellars and even the exhibition on show there all gave the impression of leafing through a great big book, each chapter telling the story of a different era.
A thrilling tour of the châteaux
What we’ll take away from this PL’Souverain trip is the feeling of having travelled far without ever leaving the Loudunais region. The children learned a thousand things without being pushed, Manon savoured every anecdote and I loved seeing their eyes light up at an architectural detail or an unexpected panorama.
PL’Souverain heritage is a real adventure, a thread that links villages, centuries and histories. Here, every diversions leads to a discovery and every stone has something to tell. And we were delighted to be taken on board.
