Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de la Sayette, located in the commune of Vasles (Deux-Sèvres, Nouvelle-Aquitaine), is attested as early as 1123. Owned by the family of La Sayette since the 13th century, he suffered the conflicts of his time: English occupation, siege by the Huguenots, then sale as a national good under the Revolution. His history was marked by major architectural changes, notably after his acquisition in 1793 by the daughter-in-law of the former emigrant owner.

In the 19th century, the descendant of La Sayette entrusted architect Boyer with a radical transformation of the estate: destruction of the commons closing the courtyard, and construction of a neo-Gothic chapel between 1856 and 1882. The latter, decorated with stained glass by Lobin de Tours and Fournier, is structured around a square module surrounded by four chapels. The medieval house, flanked by two 15th century towers, preserves 18th century woodwork in its living rooms.

The park, created in the Renaissance and fixed in the 17th century, organizes itself in four closed spaces: a French-style garden with bolting, a charmille of one hectare, a useful garden in staircases, and a park with rare essences. Wells, sundials, 18th century grids and water-drinking-pediluvius complete this collection, which was listed as historical monuments in 2004, with its buildings, fence walls and park floor.

The architecture of the castle combines a central body on two levels under skylights, framed by 19th-century pavilions with four-slope roofs. In the back, two semi-outbuilding towers, topped by peppers, recall its defensive origins. The domain, always private, is only visited by appointment, perpetuating an exclusive tradition dating back to its seigneurial origins.

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