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gallery

This private château was originally built during the 15th century, but its current style is down to Jean-Louis de Courbon who transformed it during the 17th century. The Courbon family held onto the château during the Revolutionut it was later sold and too costly to run, was left to ruin. It is known as Sleeping Beauty's Castle after being found by French writer Pierre Loti abandoned and overgrown. In 1920 its restoration was started by local businessman Paul Chénereau and completed by his children. The award-winning gardens include an orchard, flower garden, geometrical flower beds and lawns surrounding a small lake ('mirror pool'). Stone age dwellings have been found in the grounds and the objects found in them are kept in a small museum. In the keep there is a museum containing prehistoric objects, and, in the south park, there are pre-historic caves, the homes of Neanderthal man.