The Renovation of Chateau Londigny, the Castle of the Knights

It’s not often in life that you get to be part of something as special as the renovation of a 15th-century chateau. For my husband, that dream has become a reality. Hidden in the depths of the gorgeous Charente department in France is Chateau Londigny.

With its roots firmly in the 15th century, the chateau we can see today wasn’t built until the late 19th century. Once home to knights of the realm, if those walls could talk, they’d have quite the story to tell. The suits of armor greeting you as you go through the enormous front door are a testament to that.

But what of the family who once called this castle home? Who was Jean Jousserand, and how did he become the owner of a property in the important fief of Londigny? Let me take you on a journey to the Castle of the Knights.

Where is Londigny?

Londigny Castle sits on Peu Hill, just 1 km south of Londigny, offering sweeping views over the Péruse Valley on its right bank. It’s in the northern Charente region, around 7 km northwest of Ruffec and 48 km north of Angoulême, not far from the main road connecting Ruffec to Sauzé-Vaussais (Deux-Sèvres).

A Quick History of Chateau Londigny

Londigny was first recorded in the 15th century as the estate of Jean Jousserand, a squire and lord of Laire. He was married to Marguerite de La Rochefoucauld, a famous and influential family who owned vast property, including the beautiful chateau de la Rochefoucauld, which is still owned and lived in by the family.

Jean Jousserand’s family retained ownership of Chateau Londigny until the death of Philippe Jousserand, knight and lord of Londigny, la Bonnardelière, and Rouilly. Londigny then changed hands, passing to the Touchimbert and Lameth families.

In 1640, the Prévost de Sansac family was granted the Marquis de Touchimbert and Marquis de Londigny titles. Guillaume Prévost, Lord of Aizecq, married Catherine de Sansac, which led to the Prévost de Sansac lineage.

The present chateau was constructed in 1881 by Léopold Auguste Prévost Sansac (Marquis of Touchimbert) and his son-in-law, Joseph Ambroise Antoine Alfred de Lameth (who became the Count and later the Marquis de Bussy in 1904). 

Léopold was born on April 13, 1817, at the Château de Londigny and passed away there on August 4, 1897. He served as a General Councilor for the Charente department. In July 1850, he married Stéphanie Caroline Nathalie de Loyac, and together they had a daughter, Louise-Marie-Stéphanie Prévost de Sansac de Touchimbert, born at the Château de Londigny on October 10, 1855.

On August 5, 1872, in Paris, she married Alfred Marie Joseph Ambroise Antoine Alfred de Lameth, Count and later Marquis de Bussy, who was born on April 18, 1842, at Château d’Hennecourt in the Somme region. This marriage brought together the Touchimbert and Lameth families.

A Lameth ancestor is believed to have fought alongside Godfrey of Bouillon against the infidels in 1096. The family, originally from Picardy, also owns the Château d’Hénencourt.

The Design and Renovation of the Chateau

It was rebuilt in a style reminiscent of the famous architect Viollet-le-Duc and is an impressive example of 19th-century architecture. Of the original structure, only a round tower, re-clad in the 19th century, and a partially ruined wing remain on the western side. The main building is a real mix of Gothic and Renaissance architecture, and it has two of the hugest lanterns you’ve ever seen flanking each side of the entrance.

The round tower reminds of one of the turrets you’d see at an English castle and is very reminiscent of what you’d draw as a child if asked to draw a castle. Next to it, you’ve got the fairytale turret, which is quite popular for chateaux. A great example of this is the chateau at Verteuil, which has several.

There is so much to love about the style, from the pilasters, pediments, and bell tower, to the dormer windows, tall chimneys, and coats of arms, including those of the Lameth family. During WW2, cannon muzzles protruded from the tower’s crenellations. These cannons attracted the attention of German soldiers, who, upon visiting the castle, demanded to know whether the artillery posed any real threat.

The chateau has a 5-hectare landscaped park with magnificent trees from various species and life-sized animal sculptures in reinforced concrete depicting scenes of waders, packs of dogs, and wild boars. The surrounding wall was deliberately lowered in certain areas to allow people outside the grounds to view these hunting scenes.

Brett, one of the new owners, took me for a spin around the park area on my first visit. The concrete sculptures certainly add a Baroque touch to the overall design, although they need some TLC. If I closed my eyes, I could almost imagine the women of the chateau taking their afternoon stroll around the beautifully manicured gardens.

The Opening Night at Chateau Londigny

The grand opening was on Saturday, August 24th, the perfect opportunity to put on our finery for an evening in a chateau. And what a party it was.

After working twenty days straight, my husband was ready to relax and enjoy the fruits of his labor. Together with his work partner Stefan, they’d pointed the old cave and turned it into a beautiful spa area, complete with a plunge pool and sauna, and I was excited to see what he’d done. 

As part of the renovation work, Brett and Denise, the owners, have been recording their journey on their YouTube channel. Hubby, who is camera shy at the best of times, has tried to avoid the camera but to no avail.

A few days before the opening, Brett asked him on camera whether he thought they’d be ready in time for the party. This was his response 👇

Of course, as is so often the case, they made it in the nick of time, with last-minute touches applied a few hours before everyone arrived. 

On arrival, a long red carpet led up to the chateau’s front doors, and a red ribbon blocked the entrance. Our first drinks were from the champagne bar, which wasn’t really a bar but more a grass wall with a bell on it. You rang the bell, and a white-gloved hand came out to give you a glass of bubbles; it was a lot of fun and, as you can imagine, well-used.

It was a lovely mix of guests. Some had flown in from Australia, as Brett is Aussie, and some from Germany, which were mainly Denise’s family and friends.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was short, but hubby was mentioned in the speeches, which put a smile on his face. We then went on a tour of the renovated rooms. 

As you walk into the chateau, right in front of you is the grand staircase, where usually two suits of armor are on either side. As you walk up the stairs, you can’t help but notice the gorgeous stained glass windows. 

Directly in front of you is the main window depicting the Arms of Touchimbert, Lameth, and Marquis’ Crown. You’ll also see troubadour-style characters in François I type costumes and St George slaying a dragon. Overlooking the grand staircase, on the other side, is a Troubadour holding a dove, symbolizing peace.

Denise has created a lovely treatment room as part of the spa facilities, and I felt myself relaxing just by walking in. We also saw the renovated suite with views out onto the surrounding countryside.

The carpet in that room was so lush that I wanted to take my shoes off and just luxuriate in it. And as for the bed, it’s one of those you just want to dive bomb onto, but you couldn’t because all the guests were looking around.

I got hubby to take me down into the cave, and I have to say, it was lovely. I’d happily sit there and stay away for a couple of hours. I’m pretty sure when the Knights of Londigny lived here, it wasn’t used for anything like that, probably more likely storing wine.

Once we’d done the tour, everyone relaxed into the evening. The food was superb. We had hors d’oeuvres and meat from the BBQ cut and handed around on trays. It was absolutely beautiful and so succulent. 

There was a charcuterie station, another little station with seafood pots, and later, BBQd prawns and scallops. Finally, mini desserts on trays. It was an absolute feast. And, as you can imagine, being in France, there was plenty of wine and cocktails.

The highlight for me was the saxophonist. He was playing with the DJ, which took the music to another level; he was superb. I never thought I’d be dancing to ABBA in a grand salon. I kept looking at the ancestral portraits on the wall, wondering what they’d think of the party being held in their home.

Anyway, a good night was had by all, and we finally crawled into bed at around 2 am. I’m excited to see what comes next for Chateau Londigny and wish them all the success in the world, as they’ve worked so hard to breathe new life into this lovely French castle.