Baugé Castle

Baugé Castle, locally known as Château de Baugé, lies in the town of Baugé-en-Anjou in the Maine-et-Loire department in France.

In 1007 the Count of Anjou, Fulk III 'the Black', founded a fortress at this site, a height between the confluence of the Couasnon and Altrée rivers.

During the Hundred Years' War, at the start of the 15th century, Yolande of Aragon, Duchess of Anjou, started the construction of a castle within the 11th century fortress. To prevent it from falling into the hands of the English, she had it burned down in 1436. Her son, René of Anjou, inherited the burnt ruins in 1454, at the end of the Hundred Years' War. He then used them to build the present castle, which was finished in 1465. René used the castle as a hunting lodge and it became his favorite residence.

After René's death in 1480, the County of Anjou was annexed under the French crown by Louis XI. During the following centuries, Baugé Castle passed through the hands of several noble families, who all choose to reside elsewhere. So, over time, the castle fell into disrepair and by 1790 it was in a very dilapidated state.

During the 19th century it was partly used as a cavalry barracks; part was used as the town hall and a theater was installed in 1844. In the 20th century it also saw various uses, like a fire station, courtroom, municipal halls and the opening of a first museum in 1905. From the 1960s on, the castle has been restored and now fully functions as a municipal museum.

The present castle is the main wing of the earlier fortress, of which nothing remains.

Baugé Castle can be visited for a fee. A nice castle, although more of a manor than a real castle. The museum is enjoyable but rather modern and all the castle's previous uses are the reason that almost nothing remains of its original interior, sadly enough.

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