Azay-le-Ferron Castle

Azay-le-Ferron Castle - Château de Azay-Le-Ferron, Azay-le-Ferron, Indre, Center - Loire Valley, French Republic.

The Château d'Azay-le-Ferron is located in the commune of the same name, in the Indre department of the Centre-Val de Loire region in France. The site comprises a complex of buildings dating from the 15th to the 18th centuries. The first castle on this location was built in the late 15th century by Préjan Frotier; today, only one of its original towers remains.
In 1560, the château passed to the family of Louis I de Cravant, who held it until the 17th century. Decades later, it came into the possession of César de Bourbon, a son of the French king Henry IV. In 1638, a wing and a pavilion were added to the existing tower—according to some sources, by Louis III de Cravant.
In 1699, the property was acquired by Louis-Nicolas Le Tonnelier de Breteuil, remaining in his family’s hands until 1739. During this period, a mansion—adorned with the Breteuil coat of arms—was added to the château. Subsequently, the estate changed hands frequently. Following the French Revolution, the complex was used by manufacturers producing weapons for Napoleon Bonaparte.
In the mid-19th century, the château was purchased by Victor and Antoine Luzarche, whose descendants held the property until the early 20th century. In 1925, following the death of Marthe Luzarche—granddaughter of Antoine Luzarche—the château was inherited by her husband, a private entrepreneur. Today, the château is owned by the municipality of Tours and is open to the public. Both the château and its surrounding park are in excellent condition.
The château has been classified as a French historical monument since 1950.