SPECTRALWhat happened here
The medieval castle dates from the 11th century. In the 1530s its lord, Jean de Laval, built the Renaissance palace beside it. His wife, Françoise de Foix, had been for several years the mistress of King Francis I and one of the most celebrated women at court.
Françoise died at Châteaubriant on 16 October 1537. About a century and a half later, the writer Antoine Varillas published the story that her jealous husband had shut her away in a room hung with black and then had her killed, and the legend spread.
The legends
The legend says Jean de Laval kept Françoise locked in a darkened room with their young daughter until the day he had her put to death. Her ghost is said to walk the château every year on 16 October, at midnight.
Visitors are shown the room where she is said to have been held, and some describe a sudden cold on the grand staircase.
Fact or legend?
Historians do not believe the murder happened: Françoise most likely died of illness, and Varillas's account, written long afterwards, was closer to a romance than history. Still, the legend — and the date — have become part of the château's identity.
Visiting
The château belongs to the Loire-Atlantique department and is open to visitors, with guided tours of the Renaissance palace; the grounds are free. Check opening times locally.
