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THE FEUDAL CASTLE

Its imposing silhouette, seen from the R. N. 143 between Châteauroux and Tours, dominates the valley of the Indre. Built in 1073 by Foulques le Réchin, count of Anjou, who bequeathed it to his vassal, Jean of Palluau, a baron at his court. In 1188, after recapturing it from the English, Philippe Auguste flew the banner of France from the biggest tower (keep) of the castle which carries his name. Damaged during the hundred years war, it was reshaped around 1360 by the Tranchelion family.

In 1606, the castle and the lordship of Palluau became the property of the Buade family of Frontenac. First to Antoine, baron then count of Palluau, a knight of the order of the Holy Spirit; then to Henri, twentieth Lord of Palluau; finally to Louis Buade of Frontenac (1620 - 1698), Lord of Palluau, Isle Savary and le Tranger. He was made Governor and Lieutenant General in New France (Canada) from 1672 to 1682, then 1689 to 1698 by king Louis XIV. In 1690, he prevented the English from seizing Quebec.

Jean-Baptiste Louis Franquelin, born in 1650 in Villebernin (a township of Palluau) accompanied Frontenac to Canada in 1672. He was a brilliant student in the seminary of Quebec and he dedicated himself to the hydrography and cartography of New France. In 1700, the castle became the property of Paul of Beauvilliers, a peer of France, duke of St. Aignan and count of Buzançais. Since then, the castle has had various owners: de Montbel, de Vélard, d’ Alençon, Paco Rabanne, Capy and Mr. Norton (current owner).

                SOME FAMOUS PEOPLE
 
                    PHILIPPE-AUGUSTE
In October 1188, he laid siege to Palluau, then occupied by Richard the Lionheart. The ruse that led to the fall of the fortress is as follows: the attackers, penetrating through  the old quarries of tuffeau stone, made an opening in the duct of the interior well of the castle, condemning the defenders thus to capitulate or to die of thirst.

                THE TRANCHELION  FAMILY
In 1356 when King John the Good was  being held prisoner, the English seized several strongholds, one of which was Palluau, which they kept until 1360, destroying it before they left. It was therefore the Tranchelion family who laid down the bases of the present fortress. Charles of Tranchelion built in 1503 the manorial chapel of Saint-Menehould church (today Saint-Sulpice) also two new dwellings: the main building to the South, built around 1500, was laid out according to the habits of the time: on the ground floor a common room (where the Lord received his vassals), an anteroom (for receiving distinguished guests), and a bedroom (for important guests). The rooms on the upper floor were reserved for the Lord and his family.

The buildings of the East house contain on the ground floor: the kitchens and pantry, the chapel, the porters’ room, and the pavilion.

    THE BUADE FAMILY OF FRONTENAC
In 1606, the castle and  lordship of Palluau became the property of the Buade family of Frontenac: Antoine de Buade of Frontenac (died in 1626) was a baron then count of Palluau, a Knight of the order of the Holy spirit (the highest distinction of the Monarchy) and of Saint Michael, and friend of king Henri IV. Henri de Buade of Frontenac (1596-1622) was a sporting companion of the future king Louis XIII, and was Governor of Saint German en Laye, like his father Antoine. Louis de Buade of Frontenac (1620-1698) the son of Henri, was a Knight, Count, and twenty-first Lord of Palluau, Isle-Savary and le Tranger; he was also advisor to king Louis XIV in his Council and camp Marshal of his armies. He was established in 1672 as the Governor and Lieutenant General of New France (Canada). He led the first government there from 1672 to 1682, then a second from 1689 to 1698. He died on November 28, 1698 at the castle of Saint-Louis in Quebec.

    JEAN-BAPTISTE LOUIS FRANQUELIN 
Born in 1650 at Saint-Michel in Villebernin (a township of Palluau), he accompanied the Count of Frontenac to Canada in 1672. He was an excellent student in the seminary of Quebec from 1673 to 1676. He dedicated himself to the study of the cartography and hydrography of New France and the first maps of North America are due in particular to him.

                PAUL OF BEAUVILLIERS
The new owner of Palluau from 1700, he was a peer of France, Spanish nobleman, Duke of Saint-Aignan and Count of Buzançais. The parish church and the priory of Saint-Laurent retain traces of a funeral liter on which the coat of arms of the Beauvilliers family are portrayed.


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