Cultural · Heritage · Restoration · 2022

Château de Sully-sur-Loire

Centre-Val de Loire, France

The Château de Sully-sur-Loire is a castle, converted to a palatial seigneurial residence, situated in the commune of Sully-sur-Loire, Centre-Val de Loire, France. The château was the seat of the Duke de Sully, King Henry IV of France's minister Maximilien de Béthune (1560–1641), and the later dukes of Sully. It is a château-fort, a true castle, built to control one of the few sites where the Loire can be forded. The Chateau of Sully Sur Loire sits on the south side at a natural fording point of the Loire, at the confluence of the Loire and the River Sange. Set into the river north of the southern fording point were 3 grouped islands that were only submerged in the worst Loire floods.[1] It is on these three islands that the Chateau of Sully was built. The Northwestern island is now taken up with the main keep, the ditch that ran between it and the southwestern island is now filled in. This southwestern island holds the Inner Courtyard with defence towers, galleries and later residences. The Outer Courtyard, taking up the Eastern island has been regularised and, although now empty, it held various buildings over history. The dikes that surround the Chateau and town have been built in an attempt to limit flood damage, the chateau was originally open to the Loire. North of the crossing, the village of Saint Père sits on a small mound; to the south, another knoll carries the former parish church of Saint Germain, both sitting high enough to protect them from floods. The Church of Saint Germain is the base site of the port and village of Sully, controlling the crossroads of several routes.

Status

Completed

Services provided

Restoration · Conservation · Architecture · Landscape Design

Client

Holding Industries