Château de Châteaubriant

Pays de la Loire · France · Castle

Château de Châteaubriant — Pays de la Loire · France · Castle

Every October 16 at midnight, Françoise de Foix is said to return in a ghostly procession through the castle.

The castle of Châteaubriant combines a medieval fortress with an elegant Renaissance wing and was home to Françoise de Foix, mistress of King Francis I. She died mysteriously on 16 October 1537 in the "golden chamber" — by tradition murdered by her jealous husband Jean de Laval, and a stain on the floor is pointed out as her blood. Every year on the anniversary at midnight, a spectral procession of knights and monks is said to escort her spirit through the castle. The site is open to visitors, and the haunted date has become a local institution.

FAQ

Where is Château de Châteaubriant located?

Château de Châteaubriant is in Pays de la Loire, France.

More haunted places in Pays de la Loire

Accounts are drawn from local folklore and visitor reports.

Image: Dennis G. Jarvis / CC BY-SA 2.0 — Wikimedia Commons