Photo : Sabrina bl / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Château de La Palice
The Château de La Palice overlooks the town of Lapalisse, in the Allier, above the Besbre valley. This medieval fortress was transformed in the early 16th century into an Italian-inspired Renaissance residence by Jacques II de Chabannes, lord of La Palice, Marshal of France, killed at the Battle of Pavia in 1525. Owned by the Chabannes family since 1430, it is still lived in by his descendants.
The Renaissance façades contrast with the older parts of the building. The guided tour covers the furnished apartments, including a gilded salon with a remarkable 16th-century coffered ceiling, and ends in the Gothic chapel where members of the Chabannes family are buried. The park, planted with old trees, is good for a stroll, and in summer it hosts a sound-and-light show.
