Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de la Guyonnière, located in Beaulieu-sous-Parthenay in Les Deux-Sèvres, dates from the 14th century, with changes in the 15th and 16th centuries. It retains a marked feudal appearance, with a quadrilateral towered tower, one of which houses a pigeon tree. Access is through a fortified gate, and the gardens, surrounded by moat, are organized in nine thematic squares inspired by the Middle Ages, mixing flowers, vegetables, medicinal plants and fruit trees. These gardens, created in 1987 by landscape architect Alain Richet, respect the medieval spirit while being a contemporary creation.

The castle is surrounded by moat and has a typical defensive architecture: walls of enclosures pierced with murderers, pedestrian drawbridge still in working condition, and four d'angle towers. One of the towers houses a dovecote of 800 bolts, while a poterne and a brace crown the entrance. The seigneurial house is located on the north facade, and the communes occupy a long building to the west. The ensemble, listed as a historical monument in 1986, illustrates the evolution of a medieval fortress towards a seigneurial residence.

The gardens, labeled a remarkable garden since 2004, form an island accessible by a drawbridge. They are divided into nine thematic enclosures: a bees fence with old hives, a holiday closure for shows, a small fruit fence, fences dedicated to butterflies, medicinal or toxic plants, and collections of shrubs and old roses. These spaces, connected by wooden tonnelles covered with vines, recreate a medieval atmosphere while integrating various plant species.

The castle and its gardens are open to the public from June to September, with guided tours offered all year round by appointment. In the summer, the closing of the holidays hosts cultural activities (concerts, tales, theatre), perpetuating a tradition of gathering and celebration. Together, combining architectural and botanical heritage, testify both to the feudal history of Poitou and to a contemporary reinterpretation of medieval gardens.

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