Château d'Olbreuse

The castle's origins are thought to date back to the 11th century, although clear documentation for this is lacking. In the 16th century, the Château d'Olbreuse was owned by the Desmier d'Olbreuse family, who adhered to Calvinism. This led King Louis XIV to place the castle under receivership in 1702, as the family provided refuge to Protestants. After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, which guaranteed religious freedom, many Huguenots faced the choice between conversion or exile. Alexandre Desmier, brother of the then owner Éléonore Desmier d'Olbreuse, used his sister's connections to the House of Brunswick to hide Protestants and help them flee to Celle. A contemporary witness reported in his diary on Alexandre's role as a "true nurturer" and refuge. After Éléonore's death in 1722, the castle passed to her daughter Sophia Dorothea of Celle, later Princess of Ahlden.