Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Malicorn, located in the Sarthe, finds its origins in the 12th century with the construction of a medieval fortress designed to defend the gates of Maine. This strategic site changed hands several times during the Franco-English conflicts: it was taken by Robert Knolles in 1368 and taken over by Ambroise de Loré in 1425. The medieval building then plays a key military role in the region.

From the 17th century, the castle became the property of the Beaumanoir-Lavardin family, which made it a worldly and cultural place of life. Madame de Sévigné, a major literary figure, regularly stays there. The old fortress, in ruins, was finally replaced at the end of the eighteenth century by a new castle, built on its foundations by the same owners.

The present architecture, partly listed as historical monuments since 1989, preserves elements of the 18th and 19th centuries. The protections include facades, roofs, the entrance pavilion, as well as the park and a 18th century gate. The adjacent hunting wood, registered in 1986, bears witness to the former extent of the estate.

Today, the castle belongs to a private company. Its history reflects the transformations of French castles from medieval strongholds to pleasant residences, symbols of aristocratic power and prestige in the 17th and 18th centuries.

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