A little bit of history...
A beautiful home renovated in 2012...
With its five master bedrooms, each equipped with an en-suite bathroom, its spacious reception rooms, its beautiful terraces, its pétanque strip and its idyllic surroundings, the Prieuré de Loups has all you could possibly want to ensure your stay in our region is an unmitigated success. Allow yourself to be seduced by the beauty of the surrounding landscape: lakes, fields, footpaths for afternoon strolls, forests and copses. You benefit at once from the charm of the regional country side, as well as its proximity to tourist sites, amidst a backdrop of peaceful and luscious greenery.
In order to make your stay as pleasant as possible, we provide important information concerning nearby restaurants and points of interest. The region is overflowing with rich and varied activities.
In order to make your stay as pleasant as possible, we provide important information concerning nearby restaurants and points of interest. The region is overflowing with rich and varied activities.
...wich reflects a part of the history of the Brenne
Founded in 1096 by Pierre de L’Etoile, le Prieuré de Sainte-Marie-Madeleine-de-Loups is situated on land donated by Lucie de Brenne, also called Lady of Mézières and by Robert IV de Buzançais. Managed by successive priors, the priory prospered and achieved a certain notoriety in the region.
However, the 14th and 15th centuries were not so favourable (Philippe Le Bel took money to fund his foreign expeditions, the papacy, having sought refuge in Avignon, created a papal tax, whilst the invasions of the English during the 100 Years War made matters even worse). Nevertheless, the Prieuré benefitted from the good management of the priors Pierre and Guillaume de Fougères. Between 1470 and 1500, they pursued an important policy centred on the lakes: the creation of new lakes and important ditches, whilst negotiating the rights for ploughing the land.
However, the 14th and 15th centuries were not so favourable (Philippe Le Bel took money to fund his foreign expeditions, the papacy, having sought refuge in Avignon, created a papal tax, whilst the invasions of the English during the 100 Years War made matters even worse). Nevertheless, the Prieuré benefitted from the good management of the priors Pierre and Guillaume de Fougères. Between 1470 and 1500, they pursued an important policy centred on the lakes: the creation of new lakes and important ditches, whilst negotiating the rights for ploughing the land.
The Prieuré went into decline in the 16th century. It was vacated and in 1606 governance passed from the Abbey of Saint-Cyran, to Saint Michel en Brenne. It underwent somewhat of a renaissance in the 17th century. The year 1632 saw the reconstruction of the priory chapel of Sainte Marie Madeleine by Dom Gabriel Robin, ‘prieur de Loups’ - ‘prior of the Wolves’ from 1613 to 1658. Afterwards it was the Jansenist sponsor Paul le Pelletier, sieur des Touches and de Seleine, who took over the maintenance and restoration of the Abbeys of Port-Royal and of Saint-Cyran, and became the new prior.
In 1715, the Prieuré returned to Fontgombault, with Don Charles Jacquet as prior. He undertook the restoration of the buildings, the lakes and woods, as well as constructing the stables and a vast barn, which has since been destroyed.
In 1715, the Prieuré returned to Fontgombault, with Don Charles Jacquet as prior. He undertook the restoration of the buildings, the lakes and woods, as well as constructing the stables and a vast barn, which has since been destroyed.
In 1741, after the dissolution of the Benedictine community of Fontgombault, the Prieuré was entrusted to the Abbey of Saint-Savin-sur-Gartempe until the revolution of 1789, during which the constituent Assembly voted for the seizure of the assets of the Church. The estate of the Prieuré, put up for auction in 1791, was acquired by Madame Marie-Madeleine Dupin, wife of the former head farmer Monsieur Monsieur Louis-Claude Dupin, already owner of the marquisates of Blanc and Rochefort, as well as the Château de Chenonceau. He was also the grandfather of George Sand. As for Madame Dupin, she remains famous for becoming the patron of Jean-Jacques Rousseau.
After various owners succeeded one another, the Prieuré was acquired by Monsieur Jules Lebaudy in 1872 at the same time as the estate of Blizon: it has stayed in the family ever since.
After various owners succeeded one another, the Prieuré was acquired by Monsieur Jules Lebaudy in 1872 at the same time as the estate of Blizon: it has stayed in the family ever since.