A 17th Century Chateau Listed As A Historical Monument With 108 Hectares Of Grounds, Tucked Away

A 17th-century chateau listed as a historical monument with 108 hectares of grounds, tucked away in France’s bucolic Sarthe department, just two hours from Paris. The chateau is isolated in its natural backdrop. Two drives, closed with tall gates, lead to the edifice.

On the north-east side, the drive that starts from the village, near the parish church and the former presbytery, runs alongside a large meadow, an English-style garden and a small wood where there is an old feudal motte and an ice house in ruins – a remnant of the first chateau built here before the 17th century. On the south-west side, a stream crosses paths with the other long drive, which is lined with trees and snakes through fields. The buildings are spread out between a raised terrace court and a lower forecourt that is partly enclosed with a water-filled moat.

This pyramidal layout is centred on an avenue running from south to north and on the commanding position of the chateau’s central section. In the raised court, the chateau forms a U shape around the terrace, which is edged with a retaining wall on the forecourt side to its south. In the forecourt, the main outbuilding, which stands in line with the chateau’s west wing, houses a stable, a saddle room, a dwelling, a storeroom and an orangery.

A tower marks the south-east corner of this landscaped plot. The farming buildings, including a barn with cowsheds and a press room, a pigsty and the caretaker’s dwelling are set back, on a plot that neighbours the west side of the forecourt. Information on the risks to which this property is exposed is available on the Géorisques website: https://www.georisques.gouv.fr/