CHATEAUBRIANT, a town of western France, capital of an arrondissement in the department of Loire-Inf erieure, on the left bank of the Chere, 4om. N.N.E. of Nantes by rail. Pop. It takes its name from a castle founded in the II th century by Brient, count of Penthievre, remains of which still exist though it was shattered in 1488. The new castle, begun in 1524 by Jean de Laval, and famous in history as the residence of Francoise de Foix, mistress of Francis I., has a beautiful colon nade running at right angles to the main building. It was pre sented to the department by the duc d'Aumale in 1852. The interesting Romanesque church is dedicated to St. Jean de Bere. Chateaubriant is the seat of a subprefect and has a tribunal of first instance. It is an important centre on the Ouest-Etat rail way, and has lime-kilns and agricultural trade.