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Origin and history

Cuce Castle, located south of Cesson-Sévigné in Ille-et-Vilaine, has its origins in the Middle Ages, although its major reconstruction dates back to the 18th century. Originally, the site was home to a powerful seigneury, attested as early as the 12th century, erected as a chestnut in 1570 and then as a marquisate in 1644. Successive noble families, such as the Cuce, Montbourcher, or Boisgeslin, marked its history, the latter initiating reconstruction in the 18th century.

The reconstruction of the 18th century was entrusted to architect Philippe Binet for Cardinal Raymond de Boisgelin, Archbishop of Aix, from a Breton parliamentary lineage. The castle, in eclectic style with various roofed pavilions, includes an 18th century chapel replacing an earlier building. The west facade, decorated with a wrought iron balcony and a triangular pediment, illustrates the architectural fascist of the era. Work continued until the 19th century under the Conen de Saint-Luc family, which completed the current silhouette around 1867.

The estate includes historical outbuildings such as an 18th-century orangery, farmhouses with parts dating from the 16th to the 19th century, and a cartrier that served as archives. A local legend evokes a treasure buried under an oak during the Revolution. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1970 for its facades and roofs, the castle bears witness to the architectural and social evolution of the Breton nobility, from medieval lords to missionaries of the twentieth century who established a school there.

In the 20th century the castle changed hands, passing to the Langlois families and then to the Fathers of La Salette, who founded a school of missionaries there after 1939. This period added an annex building, extending the religious use of the site. Today, the Château de Cucé remains a remarkable example of the Breton aristocratic heritage, mixing medieval heritage, 18th century classicism and subsequent adaptations.

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