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Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Thévalles, located in Chemeré-le-Roi in Mayenne, rises on a rocky promontory above the Erve valley. Its origins date back to the 11th century, when a first building was erected to protect itself from Norman invasions. The current structures combine elements from the 16th and 17th centuries, reflecting an architectural evolution marked by defensive and then residential needs. The site, mentioned as a mere accommodation in 1415, was reportedly besieged by the English under John Talbot in 1428, as evidenced by the bones discovered in 1852 during nearby road works.

In 1495, the estate included a mansion and a house, and an act of 1558 confirmed the reconstruction of the castle. Two 15th-century crenellated towers, enclosure walls and ditches (now filled) once formed its defensive system. In the 19th century, a Gothic chapel was added to the entrance, while an English garden was built on the old ditches. The estate, including castle, chapel, park and fortifications, was listed in the Historic Monuments in January 2023.

The castle successively belonged to the families of Thévalles, Maillé, Condé, La Rochelambert, La Poeze and Vitton de Peyruis, reflecting its strategic and social importance throughout the centuries. The family of Thévalles, of the former chivalry, took its name from the fief himself, anchored in local history since the Middle Ages.

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