Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château du Plessis, located in Casson in the Loire-Atlantique, was built in 1753 by architect Jean-Baptiste Ceineray for Martin Boux de Casson, adviser to the Parliament of Brittany. The central corps and the left pavilion were erected first, while the right pavilion was completed in 1805, after the Revolution. The estate, private and closed to the public, includes a 19th century park with a pond, a cave and an obelisk of pink sandstone, a tribute to Jacques-Olivier Urvoy de Saint-Bedan to his wife.

The castle replaces an old castle mentioned in 1260 as seigneury. In 1753, the medieval building, considered uncomfortable, was demolished to give way to the current building in classical style. The chapel of the castle, blessed in 1760, was destroyed during the Revolution. The estate then passes into the hands of the Boux de Casson families, Urvoy de Saint-Bedan, and then Bouillé, current owner.

Among the notable occupants, François Dollier de Casson (1636-1701), captain and then priest, participated in the founding of Montreal, where his name remained associated with streets and buildings. Jacques-Olivier Urvoy de Saint-Bedan (1780-1858), mayor of Casson and patron, financed local works such as the Sainte-Anne asylum and the church of Casson. His art collections, donated to the Museum of Nantes, testify to his cultural commitment.

Ranked a historic monument in 1989, the castle protects its facades, roofs, a wrought iron staircase, an Empire living room and an ordered garden with stone lions. The park also houses a 19th century monument, composed of an obelisk and a cave, symbols of the romanticism of the era. Access to the domain, strictly private, is prohibited without permission.

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