Château d'Ainay-le-Vieil

About

The castle of Ainay-le-Vieil is a medieval castle built in the 14th century on the site of a 12th century fortress, in the middle of the village of Ainay-le-Vieil, in the French department of Cher. After purchasing it from Jacques Coeur, Charles de Bigny built between 1500 and 1505 a Louis XII style pre-renaissance home. Since 1467, the castle has remained in the same family.

Three generations in a row, it is passed on by women, some of whom are prestigious and well known. The current owners include among their ancestors Jean-Baptiste Colbert, minister of Louis XIV. Nicknamed "the little Carcassonne" because of its circular fortified enclosure, the castle of Ainay-le-Vieil is now part of the Jacques Coeur tourist road.