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Offenbach and the Divine Sarah in Digoine theatre

Digoine theatre | Eponimm / CC-BY-SA
Castle Festivities Digoine castle

Digoine castle was rebuilt in the 18th century, but it was mentioned since the 10th century! The big medieval fortress welcomed important lords, as Robert de Digoine, duke of Burgundy's chamberlain, or his brother Guillaume, who died at war in Poitiers, in 1356.

The last member of Digoine family brought the castle as a dowry to her husband, the lord of Marcilly: a family who kept the fief until the beginning of the 18th century. In 1707, François de Reclesne des Regards owned the estate.

His son Claude rebuilt the old fortress a few years later; he decided to keep the medieval towers and flanked them with a dome; he also put up a new wing, on North.

Jacqueline, Claude's daughter, raised the Neoclassical Southern wing in 1770, based on plans by architect Verniquet. The inner decoration and the gardens were also fit by Verniquet. By the way, this one was the King's architect and laid out in Paris main alleys of the jardin des Plantes!

In the 19th century, Digoine fell to the Chabrillan family. They made new alterations: they refit apartments in troubadour style and fit a small theatre in 1842, decorated by Ciceri, the man who completed the Opera Garnier in Paris.

Did you know the famous Sarah Bernhardt played in Digoine theatre? Even Offenbach wrote in 1851 his Valse triomphale in the castle for countess de Chabrillan!

About the the author

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I'm fond of strolls and History, with juicy and spicy details!