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Loire. The Land of Castles
Sezione 1
Sezione 2
Haute-Goulaine, Château
Jean de Goulaine. 1180
PLAY ME
The Château de Gouilane
is a sturdy fortified castle,
entirely protected by the surrounding marshland, situated in the Marches in present-day Brittany. Known to be the oldest building in the Loire Valley, it is also famous for its tradition of wine production, which dates back centuries before I took possession of it: different types of grapes are harvested to produce many varieties of the most exquisite French wine.
Among the finest wines, here we can find Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine and Marquis de Goulaine, and even Chardonnay, bottles appreciated even by Henry IV and Louis XIV. They were often our guests during their periods in government, whenever they came to Nantes, and at our château they enjoyed particularly luxurious treatment befitting a sovereign.
We used to organise sumptuous banquets, with our best wine flowing in abundance, to welcome them and make their stay as pleasant as possible. Another peculiarity of the castle is the presence of a collection of tropical butterflies, rich in myriad species, which attracts numerous visitors, lovers of entomology. After the oldest tower
of the castle was built in 985, each generation of the family took care to add a new element. Thus, from a fortified castle it became a Renaissance construction made of tufa, a variety of limestone, enriched by numerous additions and decorations. Although, between 1788 and 1858, the castle was temporarily owned by the Dutch shipowner Deurbroucq, it always belonged to my family, the Goulaines.
Sezione 3
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