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Rochecotte or « Rock from the Hill »
or « Cooked Rock » is a former fort which evolved into the land of a
marquis . From 1550 to 1767, the successive owners were Antoine de
la Châtaigneraie, and Gabriel and Balthazar Le Bascle. At the
beginning of the XVIII century, the property was owned by the
Guillon de Rochecotte family. The property was extended thanks to
the lands of Varennes, Saint-Patrice and Milly. The Guillon family
supplied valuable soldiers to the cavalry. The most famous being
Louis Fortuné, born on April 28th, 1765. He was an uncredible leader
of partisans of the Chouannerie. He was arrested in Paris on June
28th, 1798 and despite the devotion of his mistress, who attempted
to help him escape from prison, he was shot at the Champ de Mars on
August 7th of that year.
Under the Consulate, Françoise Adélaïde Guillon, Marquise de
Varennes, succeeded to recover the Château, which became the
property of Galien de la Motte-Barassé, Marquis de Sennonnes. The
property was then resold for 280 000 pounds to René de Laisselle de
Ligné and it was after this, in 1825, that Talleyrand purchased it
for his niece, the Duchesse de Dino.
During 13 years and until his death in 1838, this beautiful mansion
was the preferred residence of the Prince de Bénévent. He also owned
the lands of Valençay that Napoléon advised him to buy in 1805. The
buildings were constructed under François 1st. According to the
plans of Philibert Delorme, they were surrounded by magnificant
English style gardens. From the terrace, the vue overlooked the
majestic Loire Valley and the bright hillsides. On the opposite side
of the river, one could see the Château d’Ussé the model taken for «
Sleeping Beauty », which revealed the treeline of its sumptuous
grounds. Rochecotte is situated in one of the most charming areas of
the Touraine, in a land of flowers and fruit, with a mild climate
and close to the areas of Angers. |
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Immerse
yourselves in the cultural heritage of the local area by visiting
the Château de Langeais, originally a medieval fortress, which is
attested by the presence of France's oldest stone-built keep on the
grounds. This can be reached within 10 minutes by car. Built on the
banks of the Loire, the Renaissance-style Château Villandry boasts
magnificent gardens and splendid views of the valley. Again, this is
only a short distance from the hotel, about 20 minutes. Also within
20 minutes is the Castle of the Sleeping Beauty, a magical chateau
which stands impressively over the Indre Valley.