Château d'Ancy-le-Franc

About

Château d'Ancy-le-Franc is a Renaissance-style château of the 16th century located in the town of Ancy-le-Franc in the department of Yonne, in France.

History: The site was originally occupied by a 12th-century fort, which survived until the end of the sixteenth century. Construction of the existing château began in 1544, at the request of Antoine III de Clermont, brother-in-law of Diane de Poitiers and son of Anne de Husson, countess of Tonnerre. The design of the building is traditionally attributed to the Italian architect Sebastiano Serlio, who had been invited to France by King Francis I. Following Serlio's death in 1554 at Fontainebleau, architect Pierre Lescot, took over the work, respecting the original plans of Serlio. The interior design is the work of Francesco Primaticcio, who was working at Château de Fontainebleau at the time. Antoine de Clermont died in 1578 and his grandson Charles-Henri de Clermont, completed the interior. Fully completed, the château was now able to host prestigious guests such as Henry III (brief visit), Henri IV in 1591, Louis XIII in 1631 and Louis XIV in 1674. In 1683, the Clermont-Tonnerre family was forced to sell the land of Ancy-le-Franc...