Skip to content
Chateaupedia
Château de la Turmelière, Orée d'Anjou

Château de la Turmelière

Turmelière Castle

Orée d'Anjou

Visit

Hours to be confirmed

Book a visit

You are leaving for the château’s own website

Where
Orée d'Anjou

Hours and prices not verified at the source yet.Check on the official website

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

This week in the agenda

Château de la Turmelière stands in Orée d'Anjou (Maine-et-Loire), in the Pays de la Loire region of France. The building is registered as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: 16th century, 17th century). Its opening hours and prices have not been verified at the source yet.

In Orée d'Anjou, on the hills above the Loire opposite Ancenis, the ruins of the Turmelière mark the birthplace of the poet Joachim du Bellay in 1522. The medieval stronghold, rebuilt in the 15th century by an ancestor of the poet, was later succeeded by a 19th century château built nearby, but it is the remains: wall sections, moats and a dovecote, that draw those curious about the site's history. Among the stones one can still picture the fortified house shielded by the steep Douet ravine and its near impregnable position.

What to know

  • This is an open air ruin rather than an inhabited château, located below a 19th century building that is not part of this visit.
  • The site has been listed as a historic monument since 1941 as architectural remains.
  • The visit is an outdoor walk among walls, moats and a dovecote, with no interior or furnished rooms to see.
  • Volunteer led restoration work has been ongoing since 2008, so the appearance of the site may vary.
  • As no opening hours or admission fees are fixed for this site, it is worth checking locally before visiting.

Practical information

Visit duration
Not verified
Wheelchair access
Not verified
Dogs
Not verified
Parking
Not verified

On site

  • Food and drink
  • Child-friendly
  • Accommodation

Where this château is

Orée d'Anjou · Maine-et-Loire · Pays de la Loire

Map of the area around Château de la Turmelière

Loading the map…

This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Orée d'Anjou, Maine-et-Loire

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

Get directionsView on a map

Heritage status
Registered historic monument (inscrit)
Mérimée record PA00109152
Period of construction
16th century, 17th century

Base map © IGN, Géoplateforme

Coming up at this château

Frequently asked

Can you visit the inside of the château de la Turmelière?
No, only outdoor ruins remain, and the nearby 19th century château is not part of this visit.
Why is the château de la Turmelière notable?
It is chiefly known as the birthplace of the poet Joachim du Bellay in 1522.
Is the site a listed historic monument?
The remains (ruins, moats and dovecote) have been listed as historic monuments since a 1941 order.
Where is the château de la Turmelière located?
In the commune of Orée d'Anjou, in Maine-et-Loire, across the Loire from Ancenis.

Get told when châteaux near you open

An email when châteaux in your departments announce a tour, an evening opening or one-off access. Never more than one a week.

Your departments

Pick up to three. You can change them at any time.

Something wrong here?

Tell us. Every report moves this entry up our verification queue.

Sources

Identity, location and official references from Wikidata and the Mérimée register.

Within an hour’s drive

The most visited in this department — Maine-et-Loire

From the same period — 16e siècle