“Who wants to save from the death sentence a forest with its feudal castle in its midst, a forest whose age is unknown.” These are the words of Pierre Loti describing La Roche Courbon in “Le Figaro”
in 1908.

In 1920, Paul Chénereau, born in Echillais (17), a graduate of the “Ecole Polytechnique” and a lover of art was moved by this appeal and promised the poet that he would save la Roche Courbon. So, at the same time, as managing his food conserves business in Rochefort and Madagascar, he founded the “Société du Domaine de La Roche Courbon” with his father and one of his brothers. From then on, he consecrated his intelligence, his innate good taste and his fortune to restoring the château and its precious green environment.

From 1928 to 1939, the French gardens which can be admired from the château (cf. History of the gardens) came gradually into existence. The château was renovated and furnished. The outstanding picture room (cf. Guided tour of the château) which had been seriously damaged by damp was restored. Paul Chénereau completed the whole by two happy additions: in the attic, beneath the wooden rafters, he built a chapel in the form of an inverted ship’s hull dedicated to St. Michael and, in a disused barn, he created a theatre enhanced by a balustraded staircase and a seventeenth century door.

After the second world war, the property a part of which had been listed as a historical monument in 1925 and the whole, including gardens and park, in 1946 was opened to the public. Then it was magic for the local people to discover its resurrection. In the sixties, Paul Chénereau even presented a superb “Son et Lumière” with actors from the Comédie Française. This was the crowing success of his life.

In 1967 he left his children, Marie-Jeanne and Jacques Badois, the task of maintaining the property. It was the turn of a graduate of the “Ecole Centrale” to continue the battle.
With aid from the State, the Region and the Department, three parts of the building were restored : the north tower, the rafters and roof of the building main body and the south tower. Today we need to give our attention to the north outhouses restoration : vaults are crumbling and threaten to collapse. The first stage of propping up these vaults was completed during the winter 2003/2004. A following step in the consolidation of the walls and the restoration of the frame and roof was executed during the winter of 2006-2007.
In October 1990 “La Grange”, a 750 m2 building was devastated by a fire. It is now restored and used for professional and family events (cf. Rooms for hire).