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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Château de la Roche-Gençay, located in Magné in the department of Vienna, is a seigneurial residence built from the late 15th century to the 18th century. It is distinguished by its architectural harmony, mixing Gothic and Renaissance elements, especially on its facade overlooking the river la Belle. The castle majestically dominates the valley and preserves the remains of a 16th-century "old house", including a round room carved in the rock, called "the Knights' Hall".

Between 1870 and 1872, major works transformed the building: the construction of the north tower, a body of buildings connecting the east and north towers, the addition of a pararon facing the Belle, and the restoration of old parts. A campanile, abolished in 1987, ran the roof. The park, attributed without proof to Le Nôtre, houses two sources and a 16th century chapel, rebuilt until 1880 to accommodate award-winning stained glass windows at the 1870 Universal Exhibition.

Since the 20th century, the castle has been home to the only museum in France dedicated to the sovereign order of Malta, founded by Count Géraud Michel de Pierredon, bailli of the order and former hospital. This museum traces the history of the order of St John of Jerusalem through maps, medals, armors and films. The interiors, decorated in the eighteenth century, include wooded lounges, tapestries and period furniture, open to the visit.

Partially classified as Historic Monuments in 1981, the castle includes in its protection facades, roofs, chapel, main staircase, and several rooms with their interior decoration. In 2003, it welcomed approximately 1,300 visitors annually, according to the Vienna Tourist Office. Its history also reflects the architectural and social evolution of a Poitevin seigneury, marked by phases of modernization and heritage preservation.

The commune of Magné, where the castle stands, has a rich historical past, attested by Celtic remains (dolmen, flint artifacts) and a Gallo-Roman occupation linked to metallurgy. In the Middle Ages, a Merovingian cemetery near the local church confirms a continuous human presence. The castle, through its museum and architecture, today embodies this multi-sera heritage.

The immediate vicinity of the castle includes a 15-hectare park, crossed by the Belle River, and a "Coutières" spring. Although the connection with Le Nôtre remains hypothetical, the park and outbuildings, like the chapel with remarkable stained glass windows, complement the historical and tourist attraction of the site.

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