After spending three years in his kingdom of Naples (1435-1442), “Good King René”, Duke of Anjou, acquired this late fourteenth-century manor house in 1444. Expansion and embellishment made Launay a favourite residence for René and Isabelle de Lorraine, his first wife, and then Jeanne de Laval, his second wife, where the legendary “Joyeuse Garde” tournament was held.
This pivotal period at the end of the Middle Ages can be seen in its architecture, where moats and turrets are merely symbolic rather than defensive. René introduced the spirit of the Renaissance to the Italian way of life, where aesthetic pleasure and a taste for nature took precedence over court life.
The chapel, lords’ flats, gallery, retiring rooms, dovecote, kitchen, main courtyard and colonnaded lower courtyard have retained their 14th/15th century integrity.
On the death of René in 1480, Launay became the property of Louis XI, then of his son Charles VIII, and finally of Louis XII, and later of a Claude de Bretagne.
Exhibitions: “L’Outil, Poésie Ouvrière” on wood, iron and stone, collection of tools from 2 to 3 centuries, collection of busts by the talented Yann Grégoire.Spoken languages :English, French
Home groups:yes
Pets allowed
Home groups:yes
Pets allowed
Full adult price : 15,00 €
Children's price : 8,00 € (6 à 12 ans)
Group price : 13,00 €
Child group tarif : 7,00 € Groupes scolaires : 1 € par enfant
Discounted rate : 8,00 € Handicapé. Tarif accordé sur présentation de la carte GIC GIG
Period (s) | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Opening day | Closing day |
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04/04/2025 - 29/06/2025 | - / - | - / - | - / - | - / - | - / - | - / - | - / - | Pour connaitre le détail, contacter l\'établissement. | |
03/07/2025 - 31/08/2025 | - / - | - / - | - / - | - / - | - / - | - / - | - / - | Pour connaitre le détail, contacter l\'établissement. | |
05/09/2025 - 31/10/2025 | - / - | - / - | - / - | - / - | - / - | - / - | - / - | Pour connaitre le détail, contacter l\'établissement. |
Individual visits
Free visit (permanence):yesFree visit (request):120min
Guided tour (permanence):
Guided tour (request):
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Free tasting:
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Group tours
Free visit (permanence):120minFree visit (request):
Guided tour (permanence):
Guided tour (request):
Duration of the visit:
Free tasting:
Tasting fee:
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Animaux
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Historic site and monument category
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Castle
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Médiéval
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Renaissance