Château de Rère destroyed by fire in Sologne

The 17th-century Château de Rère in Theillay, Loir-et-Cher, was destroyed by a major fire during the night of Wednesday to Thursday. The historic estate, which was owned by the Orléans family for 22 generations, suffered extensive damage as the first floor was fully engulfed by flames upon the arrival of firefighters.

The fire caused the collapse of the roof and the floors of both the first and second levels. Currently, only the walls and chimneys remain, which are at risk of collapsing. While the 600-square-meter residence was uninhabited at the time of the fire, it had been subject to frequent squatting in recent years.

The property was owned by a private individual who had purchased it primarily for its 450-hectare forest domain. The château, which had previously hosted weddings and guest accommodations during the 2010s, had been listed for sale for over five years at a price of 1,350,000 euros.