Minière Castle

The Château de Minière in Couteau-sur-Loire was chosen by the grooms to hold the wedding ceremony and reception. The château was reserved for the immediate family to stay during their stay in the region for the wedding.

In the 15th century, the property was once a fortified farm. Later, it became a manor house; then, during the 16th century, it became a château. The last wing of the château was built during the union of Colonel du Soulier with the d'Espinay family. This family also owned the nearby Château d'Ussé, on the other side of the Loire. The French author Charles Perrault drew inspiration from this château and had it in mind when he wrote "Sleeping Beauty."

The female tradition at Château de Minière. The estate was run by a line of women for two centuries, until Marie-Geneviève d'Espinay married Martial du Soulier and gave him the property as part of her dowry. In 1995, Bertrand and Evelyne de Mascarel purchased Château de Minière from the last descendants of the "du Soulier" family.

Since 2010, Sigurd and Kathleen Mareels-Van den Berghe have been the proud owners of Château de Minière. Kathleen assumes full responsibility for the estate, which now covers 29 hectares in three of the seven communes of the Bourgueil appellation: Ingrandes-de-Touraine, Restigné, and Benais. The family has carefully restored and developed the château since its acquisition in 2010.

Château de Minière is not a UNESCO World Heritage Site.