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Origin and history

The castle of Craon was built between 1773 and 1779 by the architect Pierre Pommeyrol for the Marquis d'Armaillé, a member of the Angelian nobility. Born from a family heritage, the latter, passionate about hunting and social life, had this castle erected as a tuffeau, mixing Louis XVI and neo-classical styles. The artisans, from Limousin and Anjou, made a facade decorated with garlands and a landscaped park of 47 hectares, crossed by the Oudon River.

During the French Revolution, the castle became a strategic issue. In 1790 the Marquis abandoned him to revolutionary troops, and in 1793 the Vendéens of General d'Autichamp chased the Republicans. The fighting of 1794 left traces: felled trees, stolen furniture, and summary executions by General Vachot. The Marquis, imprisoned, escaped guillotine but died in 1806 without regaining his estate, returned to his daughter only in 1816.

In the 19th century, the castle changed hands several times. In 1828 Guillaume de Champagné acquired it, and his family kept it until the twentieth century. Between 1897 and 1900, his descendant Alain de Champagné modernized the interior with Parisian and Haitian artisans, such as the wrought iron staircase or the Louis XVI lounges. Ranked a historic monument in 1971, the estate, with its factories, orangery and 19th century greenhouses, was preserved by Hélène de Langle, who obtained the ranking of 42 hectares in 1943.

Today, Craon Castle combines heritage and modernity. Open to the public, it offers tours, guest rooms, and rentals for events. Its gardens, restored in the 1990s, combine French symmetry with English landscapes, with a hidden chapel, historical stables, and a 19th-century cooler. The domain remains a testimony of the aristocratic architecture of the Enlightenment, marked by revolutionary upheavals and renovations of the twentieth century.

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