Who built Petit-Bois château?

Herman de Courteilles transformed it from 1824 onwards after inheriting it. The Italianate outbuildings were likely designed by Abel Blouet, architect of the Agricultural and Penitentiary Colony founded in 1839.

What role did the Mettray Agricultural Colony play in developing the estate?

Courteilles appears to have used the Colony's workforce for the landscaping and earthwork of the park, which thus served as a practical teaching ground for the Colony's instruction.

Has the park retained its original appearance?

Following a period of neglect, the park was restored by subsequent owners according to its original layout, with its picturesque elements: viewpoints, pond and bridges.

Château du Petit-Bois

Petit-Bois Castle

Mettray

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Mettray

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Château de Villandry (Villandry Castle)The gardens are open every day, all year round, except on 25 December; in 2026, the château will be open from 7 February to 11 November inclusive, then from 28 November 2026 to 3 January 2027 inclusive, except on 25 December 202616 km
Château de Jallanges (Jallanges Castle)from €1913 km
Château de la Bourdaisière (Bourdaisière Castle)from €1416 km

Sleep nearby

This week in the agenda

Château du Petit-Bois stands in Mettray (Indre-et-Loire), in the Centre-Val de Loire region of France. The building is registered as a historic monument (dating recorded in the Mérimée database: 19th century). The building is privately owned and no visits are on record.

Petit-Bois is a nineteenth-century mansion transformed from 1824 onwards by Herman de Courteilles following his inheritance from his parents. Its outbuildings, designed in an Italianate style by architect Abel Blouet, reflect a clear architectural vision. The estate encompasses a designed landscape with picturesque features: viewpoints, a pond and bridges, which have been restored to reflect their original layout.

What to know

The château and its outbuildings have been listed as historical monuments since 2012.
The designed landscape is an integral part of the site's protection.
Architect Abel Blouet, known for his work on the neighbouring Agricultural and Penitentiary Colony founded in 1839, also contributed to the estate's constructions.

Where this château is

Mettray · Indre-et-Loire · Centre-Val de Loire

Map of the area around Château du Petit-Bois

Loading the map…

This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Mettray, Indre-et-Loire

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

Get directions View on a map

Heritage status: Registered historic monument (inscrit); Mérimée record PA37000033
Period of construction: 19th century

Itineraries

Frequently asked

Who built Petit-Bois château?: Herman de Courteilles transformed it from 1824 onwards after inheriting it. The Italianate outbuildings were likely designed by Abel Blouet, architect of the Agricultural and Penitentiary Colony founded in 1839.
What role did the Mettray Agricultural Colony play in developing the estate?: Courteilles appears to have used the Colony's workforce for the landscaping and earthwork of the park, which thus served as a practical teaching ground for the Colony's instruction.
Has the park retained its original appearance?: Following a period of neglect, the park was restored by subsequent owners according to its original layout, with its picturesque elements: viewpoints, pond and bridges.