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Origin and history

The castle of Saint-Mesmin, located in Saint-André-sur-Sèvre in Les Deux-Sèvres, is a medieval fortress built in the 14th century. His hexagonal plan, flanked by five horse iron towers and surrounded by moat, reflects the military techniques of the time. It was initially dependent on the Barony of Parthenay, one of the most powerful in the region, and was rebuilt around 1370 by Pierre de Montfaucon, local lord. This castle, although designed for defence, also served as a seigneurial residence, as evidenced by its subsequent developments.

In the 15th century, the Montfaucon family erected a 28-metre dungeon, crowned with mâchicoulis, replacing one of the original towers. The castle is undergoing a major remodeling phase in the 17th century, with the addition of windows, fireplaces and roofs still visible today. However, its decline began in the 18th century: the moats were dried up in 1766, and the owners, the family of Vasselot, gradually abandoned. In 1794, during the Vendée wars, the Infernal Columns burned down partially, leaving only the big tower and some commons standing.

The castle changes hands several times over the centuries. After having belonged to the Montfaucon (XIVth–XVIth centuries), he moved to the Plessis de La Bourgognière, then to the Vaudrey de Saint-Phal, who in 1577 obtained fair rights and markets for the seigneury. In 1650, the Petit de La Guierche family became its owner and raised the estate to the rank of marquisat in 1705. The inventories of 1714 and 1734 reveal a luxurious interior, with tapestries, billiards, and a decorated chapel. During the Revolution, the castle was sold as a national good in 1798, after having been the scene of a fight between Vendéens and Republicans in 1796.

In the 19th century, the Proust family acquired the castle in 1818 and kept it until 1990, despite its gradual abandonment. In 1914–15, he served as a military hospital for 59 wounded, the dungeon chapel being put back into service. In the 1980s, the collapse of the seigneurial house (1983) accelerated its degradation. Saved in extremis by the association A.CHA.S.ME. in 1990, it was classified as a historical monument in 1993. Since 2003, a joint union of the Deux-Sèvres and Vendée departments has been responsible for restoring and opening it to the public.

Today, the castle of Saint-Mesmin is visited all year round for groups and events for individuals. The restoration works, supported by the State, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine and Pays de la Loire regions, as well as the departments concerned, aim to preserve this unique medieval heritage. Its architecture, mixing defensive elements (archères, mâchicoulis) and residential (salles d'apparat, orangerie), makes it a rare testimony of the evolution of castles in aristocratic residence.

The site, located on the border between New Aquitaine and the Pays de la Loire, is marked by its turbulent history, from the feudal conflicts of the 14th century to the wars of Vendée. Its stream, the Sevreau, which once fed the moat, symbolizes this pivotal position between two regions and two departments. Ranked a historic monument, the castle embodies both past seigneurial power and contemporary efforts to safeguard a threatened heritage.

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