Château de l'Aubraye

The Château de l’Aubraye is a Renaissance castle located in the commune of La Réorthe, in the Vendée department of the Pays de la Loire region in western France. It is a private property and has been listed as a Monument historique since 1 February 1928.

The château forms a quadrilateral with a tower at each corner and is surrounded by deep moats. Built on the remains of a medieval fortress, it was extensively restored in the Renaissance style between 1575 and 1577. The building retains a strong fortress-like character, with its corner towers and defensive moats, and stands in a park-like setting of trees and meadows.

The first known lord was Nicolas Suriette. The last member of the Suriette family, Louis, carried out the Renaissance restoration. The estate later passed through the families of Suzannet, du Bois de la Touche and Crugy de Marcillac.

In 1791, during the French Revolution, the château was acquired by the great-great-grandmother of Georges Clemenceau and has remained in the Clemenceau family ever since. The future French Prime Minister and “Tiger of France” spent part of his childhood here before continuing his studies in Nantes.

Today the Château de l’Aubraye remains a private residence and is closed to the public. It is one of the notable historic properties linked to Georges Clemenceau in the Vendée.