Lancelot I du Lac
Royal chamberlain / governor / patron of Chamerolles
Career documented from 1494; rebuilding in the early 16th century
Who they were
Lancelot I du Lac served the Duke of Orléans, the future Louis XII, during the Italian campaigns from 1494. Under Louis XII he became governor of Auxerre, then governor of Orléans and royal chamberlain. He retained the chamberlain’s office under François I and became bailiff of Orléans.
His rebuilding of Chamerolles reflected his position and courtly experience. Its brickwork, covered gallery and other Renaissance features drew partly on the royal château of Blois. François I stayed at Chamerolles in 1530, 1532 and 1536.
He should be distinguished from his grandson Lancelot II du Lac, whose conversion to Protestantism led to changes in the chapel. The similar names belong to separate generations and different phases of the residence’s history.
Related residences
Sources
Short biography checked 9 October 2026. Lifespan and documented activity dates are labelled separately.