Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

Pordor Castle, located in the town of Avessac in Loire-Atlantique, is a monument whose origins date back at least to the beginning of the fourteenth century. Mentioned for the first time in the archives on 7 December 1301, it was then the heart of a seigneury spread over about 3,000 hectares, covering Avessac and Fégréac. This seigneury, dependent on several suzerains such as the Redon Abbey or the lords of Derval, was built by aggregation of feudal lands and rights. Its name, spelled variously (Port d'Or, Pouedou, Port d'eau), may reflect its link with local river or commercial activities.

The architecture of the castle bears the traces of the many families who have possessed and transformed it. The medieval nucleus, identifiable by its central lower room, is the oldest vestige. In the 16th century, a "rail ramp" staircase to Italian was added, marking the influence of the Renaissance. The 18th and 19th centuries saw the addition of pavilions, then an extension in 1908, illustrating the adaptation of the building to the tastes and needs of successive eras. These changes also reflect changes in ownership, from the Lusangers (1301) to the Couëtoux, Gicquel or Trutie de Varreux families in the 20th century.

Pordor's seigneury changed hands several times, often by inheritance or sale, passing between those of influential families such as the Kervarin (1372-1417), the Saint Gilles (1417-1540), or the Durforts of Lorges (1737-1821). The Loire-Atlantique departmental archives retain a "Pordor bottom", rich in seigneurial documents, attesting to its historical importance. The castle was finally listed as a historical monument in 2009, recognizing its heritage and architectural value.

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