Photo : Stephane.gourichon / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Château de l'Islette
Two kilometres from Azay-le-Rideau, the Château de l'Islette is reflected in the Indre, which flows through its estate. It was built in the 1520s for René de Maillé, from a great family of the Touraine nobility, in the same Renaissance spirit as its famous neighbour, whose corner towers and decorated dormers it echoes. An old mill, an island and a gateway dated 1638 complete the ensemble.
The château is best known for having welcomed Camille Claudel and Auguste Rodin, who stayed here several times around 1890; the sculptor worked here on La Petite Châtelaine in particular. A private, lived-in residence, L'Islette can be visited in season, with its furnished rooms and riverside park, an ideal stop between Azay and Villandry.
