Château de Matval

Bonneveau, France, France

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Château de Matval is a historic castle in Bonneveau, Loir-et-Cher, with origins linked to a Merovingian royal estate founded in the 6th century by King Childebert I, although the present castle mainly dates from the 13th to 15th centuries.

The site later became associated with the Bourbon-Vendôme family, ancestors of King Henri IV, giving it an important place in French regional history. The castle combines residential and defensive features, including a round tower, fortified walls, arrow slits, underground galleries, and troglodyte dwellings carved into the hillside.

It is also notable for preserving evidence of a rare Merovingian mint that once operated on the estate. Over the centuries, Château de Matval was home to several notable figures, including the Marquis de Louvois, the war minister of Louis XIV. Today, it is protected as a historic monument and remains a fascinating example of a medieval fortified residence built on a site with much older royal origins.