Château Saint-Jean, also known as "castle of the Counts of Perche", is located in the town of Nogent-le-Rotrou, in the department of Eure-et-Loir.
Established on a plateau to the south-east of the current city, it was originally a castle mound then a dungeon dominating five valleys and three regions (Ile-de-France, the Normandy and Maine). The site also blocked the border between the Kingdom of France and the Duchy of Normandy (then under the Kingdom of England).
After the primitive mound, a stone keep was built in 1040 by Rotrou II, Count of Perche, at the end of a 60 m high spur. In addition to the cliff to the west, a ditch with a drawbridge protects it on the opposite side. Furthermore, its circular enclosure is punctuated by several round towers.
A rectangular keep 35 m high still remains.
Its strategic position was hotly contested during the Hundred Years' War. Occupied, the fortress was partly burned and the keep damaged.
Nogent was reinstated with Perche in the Kingdom of France in 1447.
Once peace had returned, the house was rebuilt above the arched door, the towers of the entrance gate were raised, openings were drilled in the wall and decorative machicolations are added.
The place is popular with intellectuals and the lifestyle is very luxurious. But in 1568, the Wars of Religion temporarily put an end to this revival.
In 1610, the estate was acquired by Sully who built a classical style pavilion (Louis XIII). It will be destroyed in the 19th century.
The complex was acquired by the town after the Second War, during which the castle was damaged again.
However, the keep, the gatehouse and the towers still give the estate its nobility today.
Listed in the Inventory, it houses the Perche history museum on the first floor of the Renaissance period house. Temporary exhibitions are also hosted and the second space of the museum evokes the artists of Nogent-le-Rotrou.
The park has also been restored, and a medieval garden for educational purposes has been created. A recent restoration has highlighted the rich heritage of the old fortress…
Open every day from April to the end of the All Saints holidays and during the Christmas holidays.
Price: 3 to 5 euros. Free the first Sunday of each month. Information on +33 2 37 52 18 02.
