Château de l'Isle, Renaissance château near Loire River in Saint-Denis-en-Val, France.
Château de l'Isle is a Renaissance château in Saint-Denis-en-Val near the Loire River, now preserved as ruins. It features two identical square pavilions on either side and a central stair turret between them, all that remains of a once-refined estate from the 16th century.
Jacques Groslot, bailiff of Orléans and chancellor to Marguerite de Navarre, began construction of the château in 1530. This founding made it a work of early Renaissance architecture in the Loire region.
The château served as a refuge for Protestant communities during the religious conflicts of the 16th century after their temples were destroyed. This role shaped its understanding in local history as a place of resistance and shelter.
The ruins stand on Rue de l'Isle in Saint-Denis-en-Val, roughly 5 kilometers (3 miles) southeast of Orléans. The site is accessible on foot, and the remains offer a straightforward view of the original structure without additional amenities.
The Loire River flood of 1866 caused extensive damage to the structure and shaped its current state as ruins. This flood event marked a turning point in the building's history.
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