Building Rating 80% of readers like the Château du Gue-Pean.
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W hat sets this castle apart from others in the region is its peculiar tower roof. Most of its neighbors have blue slate laid in straight sides, or conical forms. Château Gue-Pean has a tower top that resembles a bell. Perhaps the castle's lurid history allows it to be so flippant. Some say this is where King Francoise I and Mary Queen of Scots would meet for privacy.
Steven Rumbaugh
Wednesday, April 20th, 2011 @ 2:36pm
Rating: Five stars. After 32 years, I was searching the internet to try to identify this chateau. I stayed there in 1979, coming across it by accident. We had a lovely time, wandering aimlessly around the somewhat empty building. We looked at the Resistance memoribilia, but the most interesting for me was to wander through the attics, where I surprised a woman ironing. Maybe I shouldn't have been there, but they seemed to allow us the run of the place, and I was young.
J. Lee Graham
Tuesday, November 23rd, 2010 @ 7:34am
Rating: Five stars. I had the privilege of staying at Le Chateau du Gue-Pean in 1994 while on tour as a hired singer with the Choir of St. Mark's School from Dallas, Texas - an English-style choir of men and boys. We used the Chateau as our home-base while touring the Loire Valley and rehearsing for our upcoming services at Cathedrals in Britain. While the accommodations were fairly Spartan, the evident historical value of the Chateau made up for the lack of luxury. We were told that the Marquis de Kerguelin was the Lord of the Manor, but we had no contact with him. We did see a middle-aged man coming and going in a vintage Citroen automobile, but the people we had the most contact with were the cook (whom we presumed was the Marquise) and her teenage son (whom we presumed to be the heir-apparent), who waited on us while we were dining. We did not have the same experience as previous posters; it is possible that the man driving the Citroen was the new Marquis, presumably the son of the WWII hero previously described, and that his wife and son were the ones feeding and caring for us. We held our daily rehearsals in the lovely little Chapel, and were nourished with wholesome meals of country French cuisine prepared by what we presumed was the Marquise. Along with the hearty fare, the finest cheeses and as much wine as we could drink were included in the meals. The more historic areas of the Chateau were roped off as if they were being preserved as a museum, including what had been a grand drawing room and dining area. Other areas were open to us, including the bell-shaped turret, which was partially in ruins; there we observed a ruined chamber filled with dusty Renaissance furniture and debris, and graffiti carved into the limestone walls by American and British soldiers of the great 20th Century wars. I took it upon myself to explore the surrounding area, and discovered a brook over which was a small wooden bridge leading to a wood nearby with a path running through it, which in turn led to an adjoining field filled with what I thought were white asters. I made my discoveries known and was entrusted with leading the choirboys on a tour of the dark and enchanted wood through to the flowery field; the boys had a wonderful time exploring these with me. On our final night at the Chateau, several of the men and I wandered into one of the adjacent fields and laid ourselves out in the grass, talking and looking up at the stars. It was a magical moment in a magical place, and I shall never forget it. As we were departing, I overheard the negotiations over the bill; the cost for housing and elegantly feeding 35 people for five days was a mere 60,000 Francs (this was before the Euro), which at the then-current rate of exchange amounted to about $12,000.00 US (about $340 per person), which seemed a bargain by any measure.
Jeremy Main
Monday, February 22nd, 2010 @ 4:27pm
Rating: Five stars. I too recall the Marquis, in April 1990, just before the restoration started - one never sees how things were these days. On honeymoon after organising an intergovernmental conference, we were privileged to be allowed by the Marquis to examine his copy of the Paris Surrender treaty, which he signed for the Résistance. The chapel was a truly humbling memory of the price his men paid to get us to where we are now: let us never forget, as he never did.
Zebregs
Friday, December 25th, 2009 @ 6:05pm
Rating: Five stars. Chateau Gue Pean is one of the most beautful chateaux in the region of Loire-et-Cher especially because it is so simplified. You can clearly see the structures history in layers (roman, renaissance, king louis) . I had a private walk around because i stayed at the Domain Les Orfeuilles wich is next to the Chateau. It's a good Gite (hotel) to stay in and it is a beautiful area. Recommanded!
S.D. Price
Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 @ 5:22pm
Rating: Five stars. I stayed at Gue-Paen in the mid-1970s as part of an equestrian journalist junket around France. Monsieur le Marquis' hospitality was boundless, the cross-country riding great fun, and where else could I have been able to play the piano on which Chopin composed his "Valse Brilliante" ?waltz and sat at the desk from which LafAyette wrote to the king to enlist support for the American Revolutionary givernment?
J.P. Jacobi
Friday, July 17th, 2009 @ 10:11am
we stayed on our honeymoon in 1987 and had a memorable diner with the Marquis and other guests. Beautiful building and dear memories.
Jean Claude de SALINS
Saturday, June 13th, 2009 @ 10:59am
as beeing one nephew of dear Raymond de Keguelin Marquis de Rozieres French resistant appointed by Gal De Gaulle who passed away I feel moved by the faithfull comments of charming visitors to the Gue Pean château.Many thanks
Kimiko Amafuji
Saturday, November 15th, 2008 @ 7:11pm
Rating: Five stars. I’ve visited Chateau du Gue-Pean in May 1987 with my father, mother, and my sister. I was only eight years old at that time, but the wonderful scenes of the two nights clearly exists in my memory. There were several guests who had dinner with us, including two charming French sisters. I still have the photos taken with them. My father and I took a little walk around the Chateau during our stay, where we met and the guy called Thibaut whose father was a French diplomat, who had once stayed in Japan on business. Thibaut’s father told me that Thibaut had also been born in Tokyo, which was so impressive. More than twenty years have passed since our visit and I’ve heard that the Chateau is not open any more. But nonetheless, I hope to visit the place again myself in the near future.
Micheline Gadbois
Monday, October 22nd, 2007 @ 4:54pm
Rating: Five stars. When my husband, my sister and I were at the Chateau Gué Péan in 1990 they were in the midst of restauration. We happened on this magnificent structure so full of history quite by chance and asked if they took guests. Yes, they did and we stayed in a huge room in one of the rear turrets. We had a pre dinner drink with Monsieur le Marquis during which he showed us his memorabilia which included a letter from Marie Antoinette to her children sent from prison shortly before her death and a sumptuous dinner that lasted for four hours. There were nine guests at the table. A couple from Paris, a family of four from British Columbia Canada and ourselves.An unforgettable evening.
Randy Black
Tuesday, July 5th, 2005 @ 2:01pm
Rating: Five stars. I have visited Gue Pean on nine occasions dating back to 1981. The chateau is a wonderful example of 17th century architecture and located near Montrichard, a charming French village several hours by car from Paris. Le Marquis de Keguelin (Raymond), unfortunately has passed away and the new owners do not seem to have the appreciation for the history of the place, nor the personal warmth of the previous owner.
Gerald W. Scott
Thursday, June 9th, 2005 @ 10:15am
Rating: One star. We visited Chateau le Gue-Pean many years ago after my wife Barbara met the nephew of the Marquis after Barbara won the Prix de Honneur award at the International Pastel show in France sponsered by the France International Pastel Society in 1987. We could not speak French and did not understand what award she was given, but the Marquis' nephew spent time with us following the awards cermony and invited us to visit his uncles Chateau during our France visit. We did and enjoyed the visit even though it was still a home for the Marquis and not as well shown as other Chateaux in the Loire Valley. A home, not a musee and monument.
We were in the Marquis' library where all of his Resistance memobilia such as letters to and from Churchill, Eisenhower, and De Gaulle were stored, an inner room with no windows, when the electricity went out and we were left in total darkness. The guide left the two of us in the darkness for about twenty minutes while he found the fuse box and restored the electicity. It was storming at the time with loud thunder and an interesting experience.
We went back this year, 2005, in May, and found that the chateau is no longer open to the public. Very sad to lose public access to this valuable historical French asset.
Gary & Barbara Scott
Jim Farr
Saturday, June 4th, 2005 @ 11:07am
Rating: Five stars. Having stayed at the chateau on two occasions - first in 1987 with four students and then in 1989 with a fellow French teacher, I have many fond memories of the castle. The Marquis de Keguelin, who was in the French Underground and also a representative of the provisional French government to the U.S. after WW II, was our gracious host. We enjoyed his conversation, dinner at the 15th century dining table, incredible examples of art in a "home-like" situation, and feeling of returning for a moment to life several centuries ago. A highlight was a filmed interview with the Marquis. This site is certainly unique and, if still open, presents some very interesting artifacts of France at the times of François I and a glimpse of the Marquis and his connection with Général de Gaulle.I hope it is still being operated as a bed and breakfast. What a kick it was to have cocktails in the salon with the Marquis before dinner, then to take a guided tour of the same room the next day!
Anne Sirman
Thursday, June 2nd, 2005 @ 11:11pm
Rating: Five stars. We visited Gue Pean last month...it was beautiful. Although it was closed, we were able to walk around the outside and savor the ambience. It was a very special small castle.
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Steven Rumbaugh
Five stars.
Jeremy Main
Zebregs
Jean Claude de SALINS
Kimiko Amafuji
Micheline Gadbois
One star.