In the early 1970s, Hare Krishna devotees in Paris wanted to expand because the temple there was too small, especially for families and children. After looking at a number of properties, they finally found the Château d'Oublaise. The devotees therefore invited Srila Prabhupada for his guidance and support and he felt that this place would be ideal for the devotees. The purchase of the property was made in 1975.

The main feature of the property is its castle, which was built on the foundations of an old castle on the same site, from the Renaissance era. It was built by and belonged to the same family (the Preaux dynasty) until its sale in 1946.

The castle of Oublaise then went into the hands of a French army commander, Jean-François Perrette, who gathered unemployed and sick French war veterans here after World War II. Perette decided to sell it to the Hare Krishna devotees when he reached the age of 80 in 1975. To this day, it belongs to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness.

The castle is built in a Neo-Renaissance style, has three floors, stunning wood marquetry on each floor, pillars ornamented with delicate sculptures, and even its own chapel complete with stained glass windows. Its opulence and refinement make it a must-see location.

New Mayapur is situated in a rural part of the Centre Val-de-Loire district — which has many historical sites of significance. The property is surrounded by forests and fields, as well as medieval villages and ancient castles nearby. The area was favoured by the French nobility and royalty during the 15th century. It is also famous for its milk and cheese production.

Devotees moved onto the property in 1975 and arranged the castle as a temple for their Lordships Sri-Sri Gaura-Nitai, installed that year. In 1975, Srila Prabhupada installed Krishna-Balarama Deities, and in 1979, under Bhagavan Dasa, Sri-Sri-Radha-Govinda-Madhava were installed, as well as a Laxmi-Nrsimha Deity, given by Indradyumna swami, on the occasion of the Nrsimha-Caturdasi Festival. You can also find a Govardhan-Shila on the altar, which was given to the temple by Srila Prabhupada.

Srila Prabhupada loved New Mayapur, especially for its rural aspect and he visited here several times. During his visits, he emphasized the importance of agriculture and cow protection — asking his disciples to organise a self-sufficient community depending on natural technologies.

New Mayapur is the only western temple where Srila Prabhupada installed Krishna-Balarama Deities. It is also one of the rare places with his personal quarters preserved for posterity.

Srila Prabhupada was born Abhay Charan De on 1st September, 1896 in India. He met his spiritual master, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati, in 1922. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta was a leader in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition. He requested Abhay to share the teachings of Lord Krishna to the English-speaking world. Abhay became a disciple of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta in 1933, and resolved to fulfil his master’s desire. Abhay, later known by the honorific title A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, spent the next 32 years preparing for his journey west.

In 1965, at the age of sixty-nine, Srila Prabhupada travelled to New York City. He arrived in the United States with his translations of sacred Sanskrit texts. Srila Prabhupada began to share the timeless wisdom of Krishna consciousness. His message resonated with many young people, some of whom became his serious students. With their help, Srila Prabhupada rented a small storefront on New York’s Lower East Side to use as a temple. On 11th July, 1966, he officially registered his organization in the state of New York, founding the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).

In the eleven years that followed, Srila Prabhupada circled the globe 14 times on lecture tours, bringing the teachings of Lord Krishna to thousands of people. Men and women from all backgrounds accepted his message, and with their help, Srila Prabhupada established ISKCON centres and projects throughout the world. Under his inspiration, Krishna devotees established temples, rural communities and educational institutions.

Srila Prabhupada’s most significant contributions are his books. He authored over 80 of them, which are highly respected for their authority, depth and fidelity to the tradition. His writings have been translated into 76 languages. His most prominent works include Bhagavad-gita As It Is, the 30-volume Srimad-Bhagavatam, and the 17-volume Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta and Sri-Isopanisad.